FluencyCraft

clock

"Clock" is a familiar word with more uses than you might expect! Most people know it as the device that tells time, but it also works as a verb and has a few interesting figurative uses. Here are the most common and useful senses.

A clock is a device that shows you what time it is. It can hang on a wall, sit on a desk, or be built into your phone or oven. Think of it as the thing you look at when you want to know if you are late!

everyday language · Modern, widely used

The clock on the wall showed it was already midnight.

She set her alarm clock for 6 a.m. so she wouldn't miss her flight.

The old church clock could be heard all across the town.

2verbto measure speed or time

When you 'clock' something, you measure how fast it is going or how long it takes. Imagine a coach with a stopwatch timing a runner that coach is clocking the runner's speed.

sports, law enforcement, everyday language · Modern, widely used

The police officer clocked the car at 95 miles per hour.

They clocked how long it took each worker to complete the task.

3verbto notice or spot something

In informal British English, 'clock' can mean to notice or spot something. If you walk into a room and immediately see someone you know, you have 'clocked' them.

everyday language (British English) · Modern, informal

She clocked the mistake in the report straight away.

He clocked the stranger watching him from across the street.

Did you clock the sign on the door? It says the shop is closed.

4nounfigurativethe clock as a symbol of time passing

People often use 'the clock' figuratively to talk about time running out or pressure building up. It is not about a physical device it is about the feeling that time is limited.

everyday language, business · Modern, widely used · figurative

The team was racing against the clock to finish the project before the deadline.

With the clock ticking, the negotiators had to reach a deal quickly.

Working against the clock is stressful, but sometimes it helps you focus.

Content generated by AI — may contain inaccuracies