tick over

Verb

tick over (third-person singular simple present ticks over, present participle ticking over, simple past and past participle ticked over)

1. (intransitive) to idle (to run at a slow speed, or out of gear).
2. (idiomatic, of) To run smoothly and without problems.
   • While the boss was on holiday, the deputy made sure things were ticking over in the firm.
   • So soon we're too old to carry
     We knew we only had a little while
     In the middle keep ticking over
     Before you know it, parent a parent2011, The Maccabees, Pelican