In the sentence, "tick the box" means mark the specific checkbox. If we have the following checkboxes ticking the first checkbox means selecting it. But what is the difference between checking the box and ticking the box? Can I assume that the phrases are equivalent?
36.6k 17 17 gold badges 135 135 silver badges 229 229 bronze badges asked Sep 11, 2015 at 3:29 Dmitrii Bundin Dmitrii Bundin 4,869 17 17 gold badges 68 68 silver badges 124 124 bronze badges A 'tick' is a 'check mark'. :) Commented Sep 11, 2015 at 6:37Besides the literal and valid translations above, 'ticking the box' also means achieving or completing a task, and getting it right. Tick the box and move on to the next one
Commented Aug 10, 2019 at 4:46Ticking a box (British English) and Checking a box (American English) mean the same thing and are generally understood on both sides of the Atlantic.
answered Nov 30, 2015 at 21:57 171 1 1 silver badge 3 3 bronze badgesThe respective processes may be interpreted as:
checking the box -> there is a box, and mark it with a check mark if you want to select it (This is commonly used in hard copies [forms])
ticking the box -> there is a box, and click it to mark the same with a check mark (if you want to select it). (common in online forms/surveys etc.)
Moreover, "checking the box" is more flexible, since those who live in the era where forms are answered in hard copies can automatically interpret it as to selecting the option available. Ticking the box may not be that simple for a person who is not a technological savvy.
'Ticking' is similar to 'clicking' (hence, all the results caused by clicking is possible). 'checking' is not similar to clicking, but you need to click in order to place a check mark in online forms.
Hence, in online forms, the two are technically equivalent (per common sense/experience of computer users).
