clock

Universal Words noun, verb noun 1 [C] an instrument for measuring and showing time, in a room or on the wall of a building (not worn or carried like a watch): It was ten past six by the kitchen clock. * The clock struck twelve / midnight. * The clock is fast / slow. * The clock has stopped. * the clock face (= the front part of a clock with the numbers on) * The hands of the clock crept slowly around. * Ellen heard the loud ticking of the clock in the hall. seealsoALARMCLOCK, BIOLOGICALCLOCK, BODYCLOCK, CUCKOOCLOCK, GRANDFATHERCLOCK, O'CLOCK, TIMECLOCK 2 (the clock) [sing.] (informal) = MILOMETER: a used car with 20000 miles on the clock IDIOMS against the clock if you do sth against the clock, you do it fast in order to finish before a particular time: It was a race against the clock to get the building work finished in time. around / round the clock all day and all night without stopping put the clocks forward / back (BrE) (AmE set / move the clocks ahead / back) to change the time shown by clocks, usually by one hour, when the time changes officially, for example at the beginning and end of summer: Remember to put your clocks back tonight. put / turn the clock back 1 to return to a situation that existed in the past; to remember a past age: I wish we could turn the clock back two years and give the marriage another chance. 2 (disapproving) to return to old-fashioned methods or ideas: The new censorship law will turn the clock back 50 years. run out the clock (AmE) if a sports team tries to run out the clock at the end of a game, it stops trying to score and just tries to keep hold of the ball to stop the other team from scoring the clocks go forward / back the time changes officially, for example at the beginning and end of summer moreatBEATv., RACEn., STOPv., WATCHv. verb 1 [VN] to reach a particular time or speed: He clocked 10.09 seconds in the 100 metres final. 2 ~ sb/sth (at sth) to measure the speed at which sb/sth is travelling: [VN-ing] The police clocked her doing over 100 miles an hour. * [VN] Wind gusts at 80 m.p.h. were clocked at Rapid City. 3 (BrE, informal) to notice or recognize sb: [VN] I clocked her in the driving mirror. [also Vwh-, Vthat] PHRASALVERBS clock in / on (BrE) (AmE punch in) to record the time at which you arrive at work, especially by putting a card into a machine: Staff should clock in on arrival. * I clock on at 8 a.m. clock out / off (BrE) (AmE punch out) to record the time at which you leave work, especially by putting a card into a machine: She clocks off at 5.15. * It't time to clock off and go home. clock up sth to reach a particular amount or number: On the trip we clocked up over 1800 miles. * He has clocked up more than 25 years on the committee.