clock

1 of 3

noun (1)

plural clocks
often attributive
1
: 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
2
: a registering device usually with a dial
specifically : odometer
3
4
: a synchronizing device (as in a computer) that produces pulses at regular intervals
5

see also a race against the clock

clock

2 of 3

verb

clocked; clocking; clocks

transitive verb

1
a
: to time with a stopwatch or by an electric timing device
b
: to be timed at
2
: to register on a mechanical recording device
wind velocities were clocked at 80 miles per hour
3
: to hit hard
4
chiefly British : attain, realize
usually used with up
just clocked up a million … paperback salesPunch
5
a
: to travel (a distance) over time
clocks more than 15,000 miles a year on business
b
: put in sense 3
clocking long hours at the office

intransitive verb

1
: 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
2
: to register on a time sheet or time clock : punch
used with in, out, on, off
he clocked in late
clocker noun

clock

3 of 3

noun (2)

: an ornamental figure on the ankle or side of a stocking or sock
Phrases
against the clock
1
: with or within a time constraint
working against the clock
2
: with clocked speed rather than the order of finish as the criterion for placement
trial races against the clock
around the clock or less commonly round the clock
1
: continuously for 24 hours : day and night without cessation
2
: 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 (such as football) while retaining possession of the ball or puck especially to protect a lead

Examples of clock in a Sentence

Verb He clocked 3 hours and 15 minutes in his last marathon. His fastest pitch was clocked at 91 miles per hour. The cop said she clocked me going 95 miles per hour. I was so angry I wanted to clock him.
Recent Examples on the Web
Noun
Especially when some states and territories including Arizona, Hawaii, American Samoa, Guam, Northern Mariana Islands, Puerto Rico and U.S. Virgin Islands don’t change their clocks. Dina Kaur, The Arizona Republic, 18 Mar. 2024 The full sitdown with the legendary Big Boy clocks in at around an hour and 20 minutes. Angel Diaz, Billboard, 15 Mar. 2024 Combined with the promo page and countdown clock, the feature allows authors to engage in fandom in a way that is more typical of music than publishing. Ariel Shapiro, The Verge, 15 Mar. 2024 Daylight saving time is the time between March and November when most Americans adjust their clocks by one hour. Julia Gomez, USA TODAY, 10 Mar. 2024 Not having that ticking clock hanging over my head is going to be incredibly refreshing. Ct Jones, Rolling Stone, 9 Mar. 2024 Human error when operating the game clock creates the illusion of a field goal attempt leaving the hand before time expires. Charles Baggarly, Fort Worth Star-Telegram, 8 Mar. 2024 An hour later, Eilish was still showing off her clock to anyone who asked. Jada Yuan, Washington Post, 11 Mar. 2024 In response, angry residents launched a sit-in at a clock tower; regime soldiers massacred them, leaving the asphalt streaked with blood. Anand Gopal, The New Yorker, 11 Mar. 2024
Verb
But the data center, which would clock in at nearly 1 million square feet, is not the only development Meta plans for Kuna. Nick Rosenberger, Idaho Statesman, 22 Mar. 2024 Inflation has come down considerably, clocking in at 2.4 percent in January over the year before. Rachel Siegel, Washington Post, 20 Mar. 2024 Like many a Texan, Bun B has clocked western-wear’s recent surge in mainstream popularity. Amber Elliott, Vogue, 18 Mar. 2024 And care is already not cheap in an inflated economy, as Wells Fargo points to a report from Genworth that clocks the median yearly cost of a private room at a nursing home at $108,000 in 2021 (although some of that is covered by federal financial aid, add the report authors). Chloe Berger, Fortune, 16 Mar. 2024 With four generations now clocking in to work, things can feel crowded. Amanda Hoover, WIRED, 13 Mar. 2024 Around the end of the night, after clocking objects like the spectacular Ring Nebula (M57) and the quirky Wild Duck Cluster (M11), named for the rough V-shape of its bright stars that resembles migrating birds, astronomers turn to the constellation Sagittarius, a mother lode for marathoners. Carlyn Kranking, Smithsonian Magazine, 7 Mar. 2024 Only two weeks left, and the routine is unchanged: clocking in at 5 p.m., heading to the locker room, trading street clothes for work wear. Thomas Curwen, Los Angeles Times, 10 Mar. 2024 The longest Oscar broadcast ever was in 2002 and clocked in at 4 hours and 23 minutes, aka way too long. Julie Hinds, Detroit Free Press, 8 Mar. 2024

These examples are programmatically compiled from various online sources to illustrate current usage of the word 'clock.' Any opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback about these examples.

Word History

Etymology

Noun (1)

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

Noun (2)

perhaps from clock entry 1

First Known Use

Noun (1)

14th century, in the meaning defined at sense 1

Verb

1883, in the meaning defined at transitive sense 1a

Noun (2)

1530, in the meaning defined above

Time Traveler
The first known use of clock was in the 14th century

Dictionary Entries Near clock

Cite this Entry

“Clock.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/clock. Accessed 28 Mar. 2024.

Kids Definition

clock

1 of 2 noun
1
: a device for measuring or telling the time and especially one not meant to be worn or carried about by a person
2
: a registering device with a dial that is attached to a machine to measure or record what it is doing
3
: a device (as in a computer) that sends out signals at regular spaces of time so that other events can happen in the correct order

clock

2 of 2 verb
1
: to time (as a person or a piece of work) by a timing device
2
: to show (as time or speed) on a recording device
he clocked in late
Etymology

Noun

Middle English clok "clock," from early Dutch clocke "bell, clock," from early French cloque "bell" or Latin clocca "bell"; of Celtic origin — related to cloak

Medical Definition

More from Merriam-Webster on clock

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