noun | verb
clockclock1 /klɑk/ ●●● S2 W2 noun [countable] 1
an instrument that shows what time it is, in a room or on a building: The clock on the bank said six. Mary set her clock for 6:30 a.m. (=made sure it would ring at 6:30). Just as we left, the clock struck two. It was so quiet I could hear the clock ticking.set the clock(s) back/ahead/forward (=change the time shown on the clock to one hour earlier or later, when the time officially changes) I couldn’t see the clock face from where I was sitting (=the front part that you look at).the clock is slow/fast (=the clock shows a time that is earlier or later than the actual time) → see also alarm clock, cuckoo clock, grandfather clock, o'clock2an instrument that shows how much time is left in a game or sport that has a time limit: With 15 seconds left on the clock, the score was 61–59.stop/start the clock (=stop or start measuring how much time is left) The clock is stopped when a player runs out of bounds with the ball.run out the clock/kill the clock (=try to keep the ball for the rest of the game, so your opponents cannot get any points)3put/turn/set the clock back a)to go back to the way things were done before, rather than trying new ideas or methods: Women’s groups warned that the law would turn the clock back 50 years. b)to return to a good situation that you experienced in the past: This is a team that would like to turn the clock back five years.4around the clock all day and all night without stopping: The emergency telephone lines operate around the clock. → see also round-the-clock5against the clock a)quickly, in order to finish something before a particular time: Doctors are racing against the clock to find a cure. b)if you run, swim, etc. against the clock, you run or swim a particular distance while your speed is measured6the 24-hour clock a system for measuring time in which the hours of the day and night have numbers from 0 to 23 [Origin: 1300–1400 Middle Dutch clocke bell, clock, from Medieval Latin clocca bell] → see also biological clock, body clock, clean somebody’s clock at clean2 (6), time clock, watch the clock at watch1 (6)COLLOCATIONSverbslook/glance at the clock She looked at the clock. It was eight thirty.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.a clock ticks (=makes regular quiet sounds that show it is working) There was no sound in the room apart from a clock ticking.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 stops (=stops working) My clock had stopped at 6 am so the alarm didn’t work.adjectivesa clock is fast (=shows a later time than the real time) There’s no need to hurry – that clock’s fast.a clock is slow (=shows an earlier time than the real time) I didn’t realize the clock was slow, and I ended up missing the bus.adjectives/nouns + clockthe kitchen/living 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 (=a tall clock that stands on the floor, that was common in the past) Where did you get that beautiful grandfather clock?a digital clock (=that shows the time as numbers that keep changing) Most children find it easier to tell the time on a digital clock.a cuckoo clock (=a clock with a wooden bird inside that comes out every hour and makes a sound) The children loved the cuckoo clock. noun | verb
clockclock2 verb [transitive] 1to measure or record the speed at which someone or something is moving: clock somebody/something at something The police clocked her at 42 mph in a 35 mph zone. Ryan’s fastball was officially clocked at 100.9 mph.2to travel a certain distance in a particular time: The runner from Lynbrook clocked the fastest time on the mile run.3 (also clock up) to reach or achieve a particular number or amount: The average kid has clocked 19,000 hours watching TV by age 18.clock in at something One song clocked in at seven minutes.4informal to hit someone in the headclock in phrasal verb to record on a special card the time you arrive at or begin work SYN punch in: He clocked in at 8:30.clock out phrasal verb to record on a special card the time you stop or leave work SYN punch out: Hansen clocked out early today.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 old Ford.