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¹clock

noun, often attributive \ˈkläk\

Definition of CLOCK

: a device other than a watch for indicating or measuring time commonly by means of hands moving on a dial; broadly : any periodic system by which time is measured

: a registering device usually with a dial; specifically : odometer

: time clock

: a synchronizing device (as in a computer) that produces pulses at regular intervals

: biological clock

— against the clock

: with or within a time constraint <working against the clock>

: with clocked speed rather than the order of finish as the criterion for placement <trial races against the clock>

— around the clock also round the clock

: continuously for 24 hours : day and night without cessation

: without relaxation and heedless of time

— kill the clock or run out the clock

: to use up as much as possible of the playing time remaining in a game (as football) while retaining possession of the ball or puck especially to protect a lead

Origin of CLOCK

Middle English clok, from Middle Dutch clocke bell, clock, from Old French or Medieval Latin; Old French dialect (Picard) cloque bell, from Medieval Latin clocca, of Celtic origin; akin to Middle Irish clocc bell

First Known Use: 14th century

Rhymes with CLOCK

bloc, block, bock, brock, chock, cock, croc, crock, doc, dock, floc, flock, frock, grok, hock, jock, knock, lakh, loch, lock, Locke, lough, moc, mock, nock, pock, roc, rock, schlock, shock, smock, sock, Spock, stock, wok

²clock

verb

: to measure the amount of time it takes for (a person) to do something or for (something) to be completed

: to finish a race in (an amount of time)

: to measure or show (the speed of something) with a measuring device

Full Definition of CLOCK

transitive verb

a : to time with a stopwatch or by an electric timing device

b : to be timed at

: to register on a mechanical recording device <wind velocities were clocked at 80 miles per hour>

: to hit hard

chiefly British : attain, realize —usually used with up <just clocked up a million … paperback sales — Punch>

a : to travel (a distance) over time <clocks more than 15,000 miles a year on business>

b : put in 3 <clocking long hours at the office>

intransitive verb

: to have a specified duration or speed —used with in <the movie clocked in at just under 3 hours>; broadly : to have a specified measure or value —used with in <the meal clocked in at about $15>

: to register on a time sheet or time clock : punch —used with in, out, on, off <he clocked in late>

— clock·er noun

See clock defined for English-language learners