The ick is a sudden dislike of someone you were attracted to: one detail in how they behave, and the attraction is gone. People usually say get the ick (suddenly go off someone) or give someone the ick (put someone off). The trigger is often something small, like the way a person eats or texts, so the word sounds playful. People say it on social media and when talking about dating.
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get the ick (when…); give + person + the ick; that's an ick / my biggest ick
- I got the ick when he was rude to the waiter for no reason.
- The way he chews with his mouth open totally gives me the ick.
- Guys who take three days to reply are my biggest ick.
What changed
First versionDear Ms Clarke, the new logo gives me the ick, could you show us another version?
RevisionDear Ms Clarke, the new logo doesn't work for me, could you show us another version?
Ms Clarke is a business contact, while ick is a word from conversations about dating: in the email it sounds as if you're discussing an ex, not a logo design. The slang is replaced with the calm doesn't work for me.
Ick can also be the trait that puts you off: Slow walkers are my ick. A turn-off is similar but simply means something off-putting: Bad manners are a turn-off. What matters with ick is the suddenness: you liked someone, and one small thing killed the attraction. In IELTS Speaking and with people you don't know well, say it really put me off instead of ick, and don't use this slang in an essay.
Your turn
When he started shouting at the TV during the match, I suddenly got ___ and stopped replying to his messages.
Show the answer
the ick — Shouting at the TV put the speaker off so much that they stopped replying to his messages, so the attraction is gone: I got the ick. A crush means being into someone, and then you'd text them more, not go quiet.
Tell a friend about someone (a date, a TV character or a person you know) who suddenly stopped appealing to you. Use gave me the ick and name a specific thing they did.
My date gave me the ick when he filmed every single dish for Instagram and ignored me all evening.
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