Clock Meaning and Definition
Clock
Pronunciation
/klɒk/
Part of Speech
Noun
Definition
A time-keeping device that displays the current time using moving hands and numbers on its face.
Examples
- The clock on the wall was stuck on 3:15.
- She set her alarm clock for 6:00 AM.
Synonyms
- Timer
- Timepiece
Antonyms
- Stopwatch
- Timer without a display
Etymology
The word “clock” has its roots in Old English as “cloca,” meaning “bell,” and has been used to describe time-keeping devices since the Middle Ages.
Usage Notes
In technical contexts, “clock” can refer to an artificial mechanism that keeps accurate time, such as a watch or a computer clock. In nontechnical contexts, it usually refers to a device with moving hands that displays the current time.
Cultural References
The concept of time and clocks has appeared in numerous popular culture references, including films, literature, and music. For example, the phrase “Big Ben” is often used as a synonym for the clock in the Tower of London.
Idiomatic Expressions or Phrases
There are many idiomatic expressions that include the word “clock,” such as “winding back the clock” to revise a past decision or “turning back the clock” to reverse a process.
Related Words or Phrases
- Time
- Timer
- Watch
Collocations
- the clock strikes
- the clock stops
- the clock is ticking
Frequency of Use
The word “clock” is a common part of everyday language, with an estimated 47,800,000 searches on Google per year.
Common Misspellings
- clack
- clackk
- clok