what makes one tick
what makes (one) tick
The things that motivate one or make one behave in a certain way. I'd love to sit you down for an interview so I can find out what makes you tick. Janet is a very private person, so it's hard to know what makes her tick.
See also: make, tick, what
Farlex Dictionary of Idioms.
what makes one tick
What makes one function characteristically, what motivates one, as in We've never figured out what makes these chess players tick. This expression alludes to tick in the sense of "function as an operating mechanism, such as a clock." [Colloquial; first half of 1900s]
See also: make, one, tick, what
The American Heritage® Dictionary of Idioms by Christine Ammer.
- drive (one) out of office
- force (one) out of office
- force out of office
- give (one) (one's) head
- give head
- give somebody their head
- give someone their head
- cooking for one
- 1FTR
- all's one to (one)