take a licking and keep on ticking

take a licking and keep on ticking

To continue to function, endure, or persevere despite suffering injuries, damage, setbacks, losses, failures, etc. Taken from an advertisement for Timex wrist-watches: "It takes a licking and keeps on ticking." When you're younger, your body can take a licking and keep on ticking, so it's easy to fall into a false sense of invulnerability. This old truck of mine has taken quite a licking over the years, and it just keeps on ticking.
See also: and, keep, licking, on, take, ticking
Farlex Dictionary of Idioms.
See also:
  • take a licking but keep on ticking
  • tickin
  • get along without
  • carry on somehow
  • have legs
  • persevere
  • persevere at
  • persevere in
  • persevere with
  • persevere with (something)
References in periodicals archive
The SSU can't take a licking and keep on ticking if you slam the M4 into the mount or flip the barrel clamp into the sensor.