clock (redirected from clocker)

(a)round the clock

Fig. continuously for twenty-four hours at a time. The priceless jewels were guarded around the clock. Grandfather was so sick that he had to have nurses round the clock.

See also: round

against the clock

Fig. in a race with time; in a great hurry to get something done before a particular time. In a race against the clock, they rushed the accident victim to the hospital.

See also: against

beat the clock

Fig. to do something before a deadline; to finish before the time is up. (Alludes to accomplishing something before a clock reaches a specific time.) Sam beat the clock, arriving a few minutes before the doors were locked. They were afraid they would be late and hurried in order to beat the clock.

See also: beat

clock someone or something at something

to measure the speed of someone or something to be a certain figure. I clocked the runner at a record speed for the race. Karen clocked the race at three minutes flat.

clock someone in

to observe and record someone's time of arrival. The manager says he clocked you in at noon. That's a bit late, isn't it?

clock someone out

to observe and record someone's time of departure. Jane clocked herself out and went home.

See also: out

clock something up 

1. to record the accumulated hours, miles, etc., of some device or machine. (The recording is usually done by a meter of some type such as a speedometer, an elapsed time meter, etc. She must have clocked two hundred flying hours up in six months. She clocked up a lot of hours.

2. to reach a goal that is worthy of being recorded. (*Typically sports journalism. Compare this with chalk something up.) Patrick clocked a fantastic number of points up this year. He sure clocked up a lot of goals.

See also: up

clock in

to record one's time of arrival, usually by punching a time clock. What time did she clock in? She forgot to clock in today.

clock out

to record one's time of departure, usually by punching a time clock. I will clock out just before I go home. Jim clocked out early Tuesday to go to the doctor.

See also: out

clock-watcher

someone -- a worker or a student -- who is always looking at the clock, anticipating when something will be over. There are four clock-watchers in our office. People who don't like their jobs can turn into clockwatchers.

face (that) only a mother could love and face that could Stop a clock

Fig. a very ugly face. (Usually jocular. See also homely enough to stop a clock.) The poor baby has a face only a mother could love. Look at that guy. That's a face that could stop a clock.

See also: could, face, love, mother

homely enough to stop a clock

Rur. ugly. She's a sweet girl, but homely enough to stop a clock. No one asks Mary out, and no wonder. She's homely enough to stop a clock.

See also: enough, stop

sleep around the clock

to sleep for a full twenty-four hours; to sleep for a very long time. I was so tired I could have slept around the clock. When I got home,I lay down and slept around the clock.

See also: around, sleep

turn the clock back and turn back the clock 

1. Lit. to set a clock to an earlier time. I have to turn the clocks back each fall. Please turn back the clock.

2. Fig. to try to return to the past. You are not facing up to the future. You are trying to turn the clock back to a time when you were more comfortable. Let us turn back the clock and pretend we are living at the turn of the century—the time that our story takes place.

See also: back, turn

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a race against time/the clock

an attempt to do something very quickly because there is only a short time in which it can be done It's a race against time to get the building finished before the rainy season sets in.

See also: against, race, time

around/round the clock

all day and all night Doctors and nurses worked around the clock to help the people injured in the train crash. This station broadcasts news round the clock.

See also: around

put/turn the clock back

to make things the same as they were at an earlier time The court's decision has put the clock back a hundred years. (often + to ) Let's turn back the clock to 1963 and listen to the Beatles singing 'Love, love me do'.

See also: back, put

race against the clock

in sport, if people race against the clock, they try to race faster than a particular time instead of racing against other people In time trials, cyclists race against the clock.

See also: against, race

run out the clock  (American & Australian) also kill the clock (American)

to keep the ball away from the team competing against you at the end of a game so that they cannot score any points The Pistons thought they were running out the clock but lost the ball and the game in the last nine seconds.

See race against the clock, watch the clock, work against the clock

See also: out, run

watch the clock

to keep looking to see what the time is because you are eager to stop what you are doing I can tell if a film isn't holding my attention because I find myself watching the clock and changing position a lot.

See also: watch

work against the clock

to work very fast because you know you only have a limited period of time to do something Scientists were working against the clock to collect specimens before the volcano erupted again.

See also: against, work

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a race against the clock See: a race against time

See also: against, race

a race against time also a race against the clock

an attempt to do something when there is little time to do it It was a race against time as staff members tried to keep the struggling company open.

Usage notes: sometimes used as a verb phrase: The villagers raced against time to protect their town against the flood.

See also: against, race, time

around the clock

all day and all night without stopping One lane on the bridge is closed around the clock for the next three months.

See also: around

punch a clock

1. to record on a special clock when you arrive and leave work In some offices, if you don't punch a clock, you don't get paid.

2. to go to work every day Someone who is retired doesn't have to punch a clock or commute.

See also: punch

turn back the clock also roll back the clock

to make things the same as they were at an earlier time I cannot vote for someone who promises to turn back the clock to better days because that's impossible.

Usage notes: sometimes used in the form turn the clock back

See also: back, turn