tick over

verb (intr, adverb)

1. Also: idle British (of an engine) to run at low speed with the throttle control closed and the transmission disengaged
2. to run smoothly without any major changeskeep the firm ticking over until I get back

noun tick-over

3. British
   1. the speed of an engine when it is ticking over
   2. (as modifier)tick-over speed