clockwork

be as regular as clockwork

if something is as regular as clockwork, it happens at exactly regular times. Her letters arrived every week, regular as clockwork.

go/run/work like clockwork

if an event or a system goes like clockwork, it happens exactly as it was planned, without any problems. The whole ceremony went like clockwork. The Swiss railways run like clockwork.

See also: like, run, work

like clockwork

if something happens like clockwork, it happens at regular times. He arrived at 7 every evening, like clockwork.

See also: like

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like clockwork

1. at regular times. I change my car's oil like clockwork every 3,000 miles.

2. without problems. Most of the performance went like clockwork, but there were a few little things that weren't perfect.

See also: like