(as) queer as a clockwork orange

1. Completely or blatantly not heterosexual or cisgender. Offensive when used pejoratively. Honey, I know I'm not subtle. I'm as queer as a clockwork orange and proud of it! My parents were not terribly surprised when I came out. I'm queer as a clockwork orange and always knew it—and I think they did too.

2. Very strange, odd, or unconventional. Everyone at the party thought he looked queer as a clockwork orange in his mismatched outfit. I know some of my students think I'm as queer as a clockwork orange because of my weird methods. Mr. Stewart may seem queer as a clockwork orange, but he's really nice—he's actually helped me carry my groceries many times.

(as) regular as clockwork

1. Occurring at consistent, predictable intervals or points in time. One thing I loved about living in Germany was that the trains were always regular as clockwork. Every evening at 8 PM, as regular as clockwork, my dad sits in his armchair and reads the newspaper for exactly 45 minutes. We're almost at Christmas break, and my students have zero interest in class. The same thing happens every year, regular as clockwork.

2. slang Apt to have to reliable, healthy bowel movements. I've been as regular as clockwork ever since I started eating a healthier balance of protein, fiber, and carbohydrates. Drinking all of this prune juice keeps me regular as clockwork! Lately, I've been dealing with constipation. I miss the days when I was regular as clockwork.

See also: clockwork, regular

be (as) queer as a clockwork orange

1. To be completely or blatantly not heterosexual or cisgender. Offensive when used pejoratively. Honey, I'm as queer as a clockwork orange and proud of it. My parents were not terribly surprised when I came out. I'm queer as a clockwork orange and always knew it—and I think they did too.

2. To be very strange. Then he started jabbering on about aliens and time travel. We all thought he was queer as a clockwork orange. I know some of my students think I'm as queer as a clockwork orange because of my weird methods. A: "That Mr. Stewart is queer as a clockwork orange." B: "Actually, he's really nice—he's helped me carry my groceries many times."

be as regular as clockwork

1. To happen at predictable intervals. My daughter starts crying every night at bedtime—it's as regular as clockwork. One thing I loved about living in Germany was that the trains were always regular as clockwork. If it's 8 PM, Dad is probably sitting in his armchair and reading the newspaper. It's an occurrence that's as regular as clockwork around here.

2. slang To have reliable, healthy bowel movements. I've been as regular as clockwork ever since I started eating a healthier balance of protein, fiber, and carbohydrates. I'm only as regular as clockwork because I drink all of this prune juice! Lately, I've been dealing with constipation. I miss the days when I was regular as clockwork.

See also: clockwork, regular

go like clockwork

To proceed, progress, or operate predictably and dependably. Everything is going like clockwork, so we should be ready to start construction by the end of the month. The conference went like clockwork from beginning to end. One thing I loved about living in Germany was that the trains always went like clockwork.

like clockwork

Predictably and dependably. Everything is going like clockwork, so we should be ready to start construction by the end of the month. The conference went like clockwork from beginning to end.

See also: clockwork, like

run like clockwork

1. To proceed, progress, or operate smoothly, predictably, and according to plan. Everything is running like clockwork, so we should be ready to start construction by the end of the month. The conference ran like clockwork from beginning to end.

2. To operate, manage, control, or direct something in a very smooth, efficient, reliable manner. In this usage, a noun or pronoun is used between "run" and "like clockwork." The new manager they hired has been running this branch like clockwork. I intend to run this festival like clockwork, so I'm trying to plan for any and all eventualities.

go like clockwork

Fig. to progress with regularity and dependability. The building project is progressing nicely. Everything is going like clockwork. The elaborate pageant was a great success. It went like clockwork from start to finish.

*regular as clockwork

Cliché very regular; completely predictable. (*Also: as ~.) George goes down to the bus stop at 7:45 every morning, as regular as clockwork. You can always depend on Nancy to complain about the office for fifteen minutes every afternoon, regular as clockwork.

See also: clockwork, regular

run like clockwork

to run very well; to progress very well. I want this office to run like clockwork—with everything on time and everything done right. The plans for the party were made and we knew that we could depend on Alice to make sure that everything ran like clockwork.

like clockwork

Also, regular as clockwork. With extreme regularity, as in Ruth arrives every Wednesday morning just like clockwork, or You can count on his schedule, which is regular as clockwork, or Their assembly line runs like clockwork. This idiom alludes to the mechanical and therefore very regular action of a clock. [Second half of 1600s]

See also: clockwork, like

The American Heritage® Dictionary of Idioms by Christine Ammer. Copyright © 2003, 1997 by The Christine Ammer 1992 Trust. Published by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. All rights reserved.

like clockwork

COMMON

1. If something goes or runs like clockwork, it works very well and happens in exactly the way it is expected to. The journey there went like clockwork — flying out on Friday from Gatwick it took seven hours door-to-door. He soon had the household running like clockwork.

2. If someone does something like clockwork, they do it regularly, always at the same time. They would arrive like clockwork just before dawn. Every day at 3:00, like clockwork, he comes in here for a cup of coffee. Note: You can also say that someone does something, or that something happens, regular as clockwork. Every three years, regular as clockwork, the great Anne Tyler produces a new novel.

See also: clockwork, like

like clockwork

1 very smoothly and easily, with no disruptions or problems. 2 with mechanical regularity.

See also: clockwork, like

go/run like ˈclockwork

(of arrangements, etc.) happen according to plan, without any difficulty or trouble: The sports day went like clockwork, with every race starting and finishing on time.

(as) regular as ˈclockwork

very regularly; happening at the same time in the same way; reliable: She arrives at work on her bicycle at 8.45 every day, as regular as clockwork.

See also: clockwork, regular

like clockwork

With machinelike regularity and precision; perfectly: The project proceeded like clockwork.

See also: clockwork, like

American Heritage® Dictionary of the English Language, Fifth Edition. Copyright © 2016 by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. Published by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. All rights reserved.

run like clockwork, to

To operate with extreme regularity. The transfer from a clock mechanism to other areas dates from the late seventeenth century. “The king’s last years passed as regularly as clockwork,” wrote Hugh Walpole (Reminiscences, 1789).