an ick

Meaning

1. 1nounsingularinformalslang

   A sudden feeling of disgust or dislike for someone you were attracted to, often caused by a small habit.

   Grammar: Almost always used in the fixed phrase 'get the ick' or 'give someone the ick'; it is not used with 'a' or in the plural in this sense.

   Patterns

   • get the ick
   • give someone the ick
   • get the ick from something

   I really liked him until he chewed with his mouth open, and then I got the ick.

   She said his habit of sending voice notes gave her the ick.

   Once you get the ick, it is very hard to feel attracted to that person again.

Common combinations

get the ick

I got the ick when he started talking about his ex all night.

give someone the ick

His constant baby talk gave me the ick.

the ick factor

There is a real ick factor to the way he eats.

Synonyms and how they differ

repulsion

Much stronger and more formal; it means a strong physical disgust, not a sudden loss of romantic interest.

turn-off

A more general and slightly more formal way to say something makes you lose interest; it does not have the same sudden, slangy feel.

Commonly confused: an ick or ick?

Practice

Make it your own

Write a sentence using “an ick”, then check it and compare it with the examples above.

Explore more words