clock

1 noun (C)

1 an instrument in a room or on a public building that shows what time it is: The clock was ticking on the mantelpiece. | the clock strikes three/half past four etc: The church clock struck midnight. | the clock says... (=the clock shows a particular time) | by the hall/kitchen/church etc clock (=according to a particular clock): It's 4.30 by the kitchen clock. | wind (up) the clock (=turn a key in a clock so that it keeps working) | set the clock by sth (=change the time on a clock according to the time on the television, radio etc) | set the clock for sth (=turn a screw at the back of a clock so that it will ring at a certain time): Mary set her clock for 6.30 a.m | the clock is slow/fast (=used to show that the clock is showing an earlier or later time than the actual time): Your clock's ten minutes slow. | clock face (=the front part of a clock with the numbers on)

-see also: alarm-clock, carriage-clock, cuckoo-clock, grandfather-clock, -compare watch 2 (1)

2 put the clock(s) back especially BrE set the clock(s) back AmE to change the time shown on the clock to an earlier time, when the time changes officially

3 put the clock(s) forward BrE set the clock(s) ahead AmE to change the time shown on the clock to a later time, when the time changes officially

4 put/turn the clock back to go back to the ideas or methods tried before instead of doing things in a new or modern way: The new employment bill will put the clock back fifty years.

5 put the clock back/forward to remember a particular time in the past or imagine a time in the future: It put the clock back forty years seeing that old Bette Davis movie.

6 around the clock/round the clock BrE all day and all night without stopping: Charles has been working round the clock preparing the case.

7 against the clock

a) if you work against the clock, you work as quickly as you can because you do not have much time: We're working against the clock to get this proposal finished.

b) if you run, swim etc against the clock, you run or swim a particular distance as fast as possible

8 watch the clock to keep looking at the clock to see what time it is because you are bored

9 live by the clock to organize your life so that you always do the same things at the same time and are never late

10 the twenty-four hour clock a system for measuring time in which the hours of the day and night have numbers from 0 to 23

11 start/stop the clock to start or stop measuring how much time is left in a game or sport that has a time limit: They stopped the clock when Baggio was injured.

12 the clock

a) an instrument in a vehicle that measures how many miles or kilometres it has travelled: The car had 43,000 miles on the clock.

b) an instrument in a vehicle that measures the speed at which it is travelling

13 run out the clock/kill the clock AmE if a team runs out the clock at the end of a game, it does not allow the opponents to get the ball so that they cannot earn points

-see also: biological-clock, body-clock, dandelion-clock, time-clock 2 verb (T)

1 to travel at a particular speed, or to measure the speed at which someone or something is travelling: The police clocked him at 95 miles an hour on the freeway.

2 to record the time taken to travel a certain distance: clock sb at: She was clocked at 59 seconds for the first lap.

3 clock this/that! BrE spoken used to tell someone to notice or pay attention to something

4 clock sb one BrE informal to hit someone: I clocked him one in the eye.

5 clock a car BrE slang to change the number of miles shown on the clock 1 (12) of a car, in order to sell it for more money

clock in/on phrasal verb (I) to record on a special card the time you arrive at or begin work; punch in (punch1): I clock on at 8:30. clock off/out phrasal verb (I) to record on a special card the time you stop or leave work; punch out (punch1): I'm clocking off early today. clock up sth phrasal verb (T) to reach a particular number or amount: The Dodgers have clocked up six wins in a row so far this season. | I clocked up 90,000 miles in my Ford.