What does "clock" mean?

1. (timepiece) a device that shows what time it is, usually on a wall or a desk. 2. (vehicle odometer) the instrument in a car that shows how many miles or kilometres it has travelled. 3. (to measure speed or time) to measure how fast someone or something is moving. 4. (to notice) to see or notice something, especially something interesting or unusual. 5. (to hit) to hit someone very hard, usually in the face.

clock — meaning, definition & examples

Q: Is it correct to say "I am wearing a gold clock on my wrist."?

No — say "I am wearing a gold watch on my wrist.". Use 'watch' for a timepiece worn on the body and 'clock' for one on a wall or table.

Word

01timepiece

A1 · Beginner Countable noun

n. a device that shows what time it is, usually on a wall or a desk.

n. an instrument for measuring and indicating time, typically not worn on the person.

“The clock on the kitchen wall says it is nearly lunchtime.”

“The grandfather clock in the hallway struck twelve, its deep chime echoing through the silent house.”

Pitfall

I am wearing a gold clock on my wrist.

I am wearing a gold watch on my wrist.

Use 'watch' for a timepiece worn on the body and 'clock' for one on a wall or table.

Synonyms

timepiecechronometer

02vehicle odometer

B2 · Upper Intermediate Countable noun British English · Informal

n. the instrument in a car that shows how many miles or kilometres it has travelled.

n. the odometer of a motor vehicle, indicating the total distance travelled.

“The used car was cheap because it had over 200,000 miles on the clock.”

“The mechanic suspected the vehicle had been tampered with, as the wear on the pedals did not match the low mileage on the clock.”

Synonyms

odometer

03to measure speed or time

B1 · Intermediate

v. to measure how fast someone or something is moving.

v. to record the speed or duration of an object or event, often using a stopwatch or radar.

“The police officer clocked the driver going 90 miles per hour.”

“The sprinter was clocked at under ten seconds during the semi-finals, setting a new personal best for the season.”

Synonyms

time measure

04to notice

B2 · Upper Intermediate Informal

v. to see or notice something, especially something interesting or unusual.

v. to perceive, notice, or recognize someone or something.

“I clocked him walking into the shop earlier this morning.”

“She immediately clocked the tension in the room, realizing that the meeting had not gone as planned.”

Synonyms

notice spot recognize

Antonyms

ignore miss

05to hit

C1 · Advanced Slang

v. to hit someone very hard, usually in the face.

v. to strike a person with significant force, typically on the head or face.

“He almost got clocked in the face during the argument.”

“The protagonist narrowly avoided being clocked by the villain's heavy swing in the final action sequence.”

Synonyms

punch strike slug

First use appears c. 1370. From Middle English clokke, clok, cloke (“clock”), from Middle Dutch clocke (“bell, clock”), from Old Dutch klokka, from Medieval Latin clocca (“bell, clock, cloak”), probably of Celtic origin, from Proto-Celtic klokkos (“bell”) (compare Welsh cloch (“bell”), Old Irish cloc (“bell, clock”)), either onomatopoeic or from Proto-Indo-European klek- (“to laugh, cackle”) (compare Proto-Germanic hlahjaną (“to laugh”)). Cognate with Old English clucge (“bell”), Saterland Frisian Klokke (“bell, clock”), Dutch klok (“clock, bell”), Low German Klock (“bell, clock”), German Glocke (“bell”), Danish and Norwegian klokke (“clock, bell”), Faroese klokka (“clock, bell”), Icelandic klukka (“clock, bell”), Swedish klocka (“clock, bell”), Asturian llueca (“cowbell”), Galician and Portuguese choca (“cowbell”), Doublet of cloak and cloche.

Uncertain; designs may have originally been bell-shaped and thus related to Etymology 1, above.