I. clock 1 S2 W3 /klɒk $ klɑːk/ BrE AmE noun [countable]
[ Date: 1300-1400 ; Language: Middle Dutch ; Origin: clocke 'bell, clock' , from Medieval Latin clocca 'bell' , from a Celtic language ]
1 . an instrument that shows what time it is, in a room or outside on a building:
I heard the clock strike six (=make six loud sounds) .
The station clock was ten minutes slow (=showed a time ten minutes earlier than the real time) .
by the hall/kitchen/church etc clock (=according to a particular clock)
What time is it by the kitchen clock?
⇨ watch the clock at ↑ watch 1 (8)
2 . around the clock ( also round the clock British English ) all day and all night without stopping:
Kim has been working round the clock to finish it in time.
3 . put/turn the clock back
a) ( also set the clock back American English ) to go back to the way things were done in the past instead of doing things in a modern way – used in order to show disapproval:
The new employment bill will put the clock back 50 years.
b) to return to a good situation that you experienced in the past or to make someone remember such a situation:
The kids are all grown up now and you can’t put the clock back.
4 . put the clock(s) back/forward British English to change the time shown on the clock to one hour earlier or later, when the time officially changes
5 . the clocks go back/forward British English the time changes officially to one hour earlier or later:
The clocks go back in October.
6 . against the clock
a) if you work against the clock, you work as quickly as you can because you do not have much time:
Everyone is racing against the clock to get things ready in time.
b) if you run, swim etc against the clock, you run or swim a particular distance while your speed is measured
7 . twenty-four hour clock a system for measuring time in which the hours of the day and night have numbers from 0 to 23
8 . start/stop the clock to start or stop measuring how much time is left in a game or sport that has a time limit
9 . the clock is ticking used to say that there is not much time left to do something:
The clock is ticking for those who have not yet filled in their tax form.
10 . the clock
a) an instrument in a vehicle that measures how far it has travelled
on the clock
a car with 43,000 miles on the clock
b) an instrument in a vehicle that measures the speed at which it is travelling
11 . run out the clock/kill the clock American English if a team runs out the clock at the end of a game, it tries to keep the ball for the rest of the game so that its opponents cannot get any points
⇨ ↑ biological clock , ↑ body clock , ↑ dandelion clock , ↑ time clock
• • •
COLLOCATIONS
■ verbs
▪ look/glance at the clock
She looked at the clock. It was eight thirty.
▪ the clock says eight/nine etc (=shows a particular time)
The clock said five so I went back to sleep.
▪ a clock strikes eight/nine etc (=makes eight/nine etc sounds according to the hour)
In the distance I heard a church clock strike eleven.
▪ a clock ticks (=makes regular quiet sounds that shows it is working)
There was no sound in the room apart from a clock ticking.
▪ a clock is fast/slow (=shows a later or earlier time than the real time)
There’s no need to hurry – that clock’s fast.
▪ a clock stops (=stops working)
My clock had stopped at 6 am so the alarm didn’t work.
▪ an alarm clock goes off (=rings at a particular time)
What time do you want the alarm clock to go off tomorrow?
▪ set a clock (=make it say the right time)
Don't forget to set your clocks to summer time.
▪ wind (up) a clock (=turn a key to keep it working)
It was one of those old clocks that you have to wind up.
■ phrases
▪ the hands of/on a clock (=the long thin pieces that point at the numbers)
The hands on the clock said ten past two.
▪ the face of a clock/the clock face (=the front part that you look at)
I couldn’t see the clock face from where I was sitting.
■ ADJECTIVES/NOUN + clock
▪ the kitchen/sitting-room etc clock
Harry glanced at the kitchen clock and saw that he was late.
▪ an alarm clock (=that makes a noise to wake you up)
He forgot to set his alarm clock.
▪ a wall clock (=that hangs on a wall)
A loud ticking came from the wall clock.
▪ a grandfather clock (=an old-style tall clock that stands on the floor)
Where did you get that beautiful grandfather clock?
▪ a digital clock (=that shows the time as numbers that keep changing)
A digital clock at the finish line shows runners their times.
▪ a travel/travelling clock (=a small one for taking on journeys)
▪ a cuckoo clock (=a clock with a wooden bird inside that comes out every hour and makes a sound)
▪ a church clock (=one on the outside of a church tower)
▪ a carriage clock British English (=a clock inside a glass case with a handle on top)
■ COMMON ERRORS
► Do not say ' the clock shows five o'clock '. Say the clock says five o'clock .
II. clock 2 BrE AmE verb [transitive]
1 . to cover a distance in a particular time, or to reach a particular speed in a race:
Karen won in the 300 metres, clocking 42.9 seconds.
the first steam engine to clock 100 miles an hour
2 . to measure or record the time or speed that someone or something is travelling at
clock somebody at/doing something
The police clocked him doing between 100 and 110 miles per hour.
3 . British English informal to notice someone or something, or to look at them carefully:
Did you clock the bloke by the door?
4 . British English to reduce the number of miles or kilometres shown on the instrument in a car that says how far it has gone, in order to sell the car for more money:
He knew the car had been clocked, but he couldn’t prove it.
clock in/on phrasal verb especially British English
to record on a special card the time you arrive at or begin work SYN punch in American English :
I clock on at 8:30.
clock off phrasal verb British English
1 . informal to leave work at the end of the day:
What time do you clock off?
2 . to record on a special card the time you stop or leave work:
By 6 p.m. most workers have clocked off.
clock out phrasal verb especially British English
to record on a special card the time you stop or leave work SYN punch out American English
clock up something phrasal verb
to reach or achieve a particular number or amount:
The Dodgers have clocked up six wins in a row.
I clocked up 90,000 miles in my Ford.
Councillor Scott has clocked up more than 25 years on the borough council.