I. ˈkläk noun
( -s )
Usage: often attributive
Etymology: Middle English clok, from Middle Dutch clocke clock, bell, from Old North French or Medieval Latin; Old North French cloque bell, from Medieval Latin clocca, of Celtic origin; akin to Middle Irish clocc bell, Welsh cloch; akin to Old English hliehhan to laugh — more at laugh
1.
a. : a device other than a watch for indicating or measuring time chiefly consisting of a train of wheels actuated by various devices (as falling weights, a tensed spring, changes in temperature, or electrical impulses), regulated through an escapement in various ways (as by a pendulum, dripping water, a synchronized electrical motor, or the vibrations of atoms), and indicating time most commonly by means of hands moving on a dial often with accompanying bells made to strike at regular intervals (as once each hour) — see electric clock , program clock , sidereal clock , turret clock , watchman's clock , water clock ; compare chronometer , hour glass, watch
b. obsolete : watch ; especially : one that strikes
c. : the downy fruiting head of the common dandelion
d. : a form of solitaire in which packets of cards are laid out in a circle to resemble the dial of a clock
2. obsolete : a stroke of a clock sounding the hour
b. : the hour indicated by strokes of a clock
3. : a registering device with a dial and indicator attached to a mechanism to measure or gauge its functioning or to record its output
a pick clock on a loom
a hank clock on a roving frame
specifically
a. : taximeter
b. : speedometer
4. : time clock
punched the clock at 8:45
5. : an inflexible time schedule or timing plan
uranium and thorium are also wasting assets, but to a much slower clock — Stuart Chase
he threw the whole weight of his genius into an effort to stop the clock of history — J.T.Farrell
6. slang Britain : the human face
•
- around the clock
- hold the clock on
- turn back the clock
II. verb
( -ed/-ing/-s )
transitive verb
1.
a. : to time (a person or a performance) with a stopwatch or by an electric timing device
clocked his practice quarter mile at 48 seconds
b. : to be timed at
other Americans had clocked 8:55.7 in the two-mile
c. : to register (time, distance, rate, velocity, or number) on a mechanical recording device
wind velocities were clocked at 80 miles per hour
clocked an average of 4000 visitors a day
d. : to determine the timing of
a station clocked to broadcast one minute in each hour
2. : to sound (a bell) either by pulling the clapper or by striking with a hammer from outside and without swinging
intransitive verb
: to register on a time sheet or time clock : punch — used with in, out, on, off
it would be too late to load after the driver clocks in at eight
a workshop where workers are required to clock on and off
III. verb
( -ed/-ing/-s )
Etymology: Middle English clokken, from Old English cloccian to cluck; like Middle Dutch klucke brood hen, Old High German cloccōn to beat, Old Norse klaka to gossip, Latin glocire to cluck, Greek klōzein, Lith klukšėti of imitative origin
intransitive verb
1. now dialect Britain : call , cluck — used especially of a hen
2. now dialect Britain : set , brood
transitive verb
now dialect Britain : set , incubate
IV. noun
( -s )
Etymology: probably from clock (I) (bell); from its original shape
: an ornamental figure or figured work on the ankle or side of a stocking or sock
V. transitive verb
( -ed/-ing/-s )
: to ornament with figured work
VI. noun
( -s )
Etymology: probably of Scandinavian origin; akin to Swedish dialect klocka beetle
: beetle
VII. noun
or run out the clock
1. : a synchronizing device (as in a computer) that produces pulses at regular intervals
2. : biological clock herein
•
- kill the clock
VIII. transitive verb
slang
1. : to hit especially in the face or on the head
2. chiefly Britain : attain : realize — usually used with up
just clock up a million … paperback sales — Punch