tick by
Intermediate (B1) neutral
Time keeps passing, often when you're waiting for something.
"The hours ticked by and still there was no news from the hospital."
Hear it in context
Inside Artemis II: Launch to Splashdown | NOVA | PBS
NOVA PBS Official · 4:08
The minutes tick by.
How life changes when you start embracing mystery | David S. Goyer
The Well · 18:43
And as the minutes and the hours tick by, I slowly started to relax.
Terrifying Events | "48 Hours" Full Episodes
48 Hours · 98:52
As the hours tick by, What do you want your mom to think about you?