English Reference
Verb

clocked

v.
B2 Upper Intermediate US /ˈkɫɑkt/ UK /klˈɒkt/ clocked Electronics

v.to notice or see something, or to measure how fast someone is going. It is a casual way to say you spotted something or recorded a speed.

v.to notice or perceive something; to measure the speed of a person or vehicle. Often used in informal contexts to describe the act of recognition or the recording of a specific velocity.


SIMPLE

The police clocked the car going over the speed limit.

CONTEXTUAL

I immediately clocked the nervous look on his face when I mentioned the missing keys.

COMPLEX

The sprinter was clocked at under ten seconds, a feat that solidified his reputation as the fastest athlete in the regional championships.

Usage

The verb is transitive and requires a direct object.

As stewardess and later purser on Air France airliners, Lainault clocked up 12,600 flight hours between 1989 and 2019.

BBC News· 26 Aug 2026

However, her best time is now more than half a second faster than Hodgkinson's 1:54.33, while Broeders-Bol clocked 1:55.54 in taking bronze in Birmingham.

BBC News· 15 Aug 2026
This entry
Level B2 · Upper Intermediate
Frequency Occasional
Updated