clock 1 S2 W3 / klɒk $ klɑk / 名词 [可数名词]

1 an instrument that shows what time it is, in a room or outside on a building :

I heard the clock strike six (= make six loud sounds ) .

The station clock was ten minutes slow (= showed a time ten minutes earlier than the real time ) .

by the hall/kitchen/church etc clock (= according to a particular clock )

What time is it by the kitchen clock? → watch the clock at watch 1 ( 8 )

2 around the clock ( also round the clock British English ) all day and all night without stopping :

Kim has been working round the clock to finish it in time.

3 put/turn the clock back

a) ( also set the clock back American English ) to go back to the way things were done in the past instead of doing things in a modern way – used in order to show disapproval :

The new employment bill will put the clock back 50 years.

b) to return to a good situation that you experienced in the past or to make someone remember such a situation :

The kids are all grown up now and you can’t put the clock back .

4 put the clock(s) back/forward British English to change the time shown on the clock to one hour earlier or later, when the time officially changes

5 the clocks go back/forward British English the time changes officially to one hour earlier or later :

The clocks go back in October.

6 against the clock

a) if you work against the clock, you work as quickly as you can because you do not have much time :

Everyone is racing against the clock to get things ready in time.

b) if you run, swim etc against the clock, you run or swim a particular distance while your speed is measured

7 twenty-four hour clock a system for measuring time in which the hours of the day and night have numbers from 0 to 23

8 start/stop the clock to start or stop measuring how much time is left in a game or sport that has a time limit

9 the clock is ticking used to say that there is not much time left to do something :

The clock is ticking for those who have not yet filled in their tax form.

10 the clock

a) an instrument in a vehicle that measures how far it has travelled

on the clock

a car with 43,000 miles on the clock

b) an instrument in a vehicle that measures the speed at which it is travelling

11 run out the clock/kill the clock American English if a team runs out the clock at the end of a game, it tries to keep the ball for the rest of the game so that its opponents cannot get any points

→ biological clock , body clock , dandelion clock , time clock

COLLOCATIONS

动词

look/glance at the clock She looked at the clock. It was eight thirty.

the clock says eight/nine etc (= shows a particular time ) The clock said five so I went back to sleep.

a clock strikes eight/nine etc (= makes eight/nine etc sounds according to the hour ) In the distance I heard a church clock strike eleven.

a clock ticks (= makes regular quiet sounds that shows it is working ) There was no sound in the room apart from a clock ticking.

a clock is fast/slow (= shows a later or earlier time than the real time ) There’s no need to hurry – that clock’s fast.

a clock stops (= stops working ) My clock had stopped at 6 am so the alarm didn’t work.

an alarm clock goes off (= rings at a particular time ) What time do you want the alarm clock to go off tomorrow?

set a clock (= make it say the right time ) Don’t forget to set your clocks to summer time.

wind (up) a clock (= turn a key to keep it working ) It was one of those old clocks that you have to wind up.

短语

the hands of/on a clock (= the long thin pieces that point at the numbers ) The hands on the clock said ten past two.

the face of a clock/the clock face (= the front part that you look at ) I couldn’t see the clock face from where I was sitting.

ADJECTIVES/NOUN + clock

the kitchen/sitting-room etc clock Harry glanced at the kitchen clock and saw that he was late.

an alarm clock (= that makes a noise to wake you up ) He forgot to set his alarm clock.

a wall clock (= that hangs on a wall ) A loud ticking came from the wall clock.

a grandfather clock (= an old-style tall clock that stands on the floor ) Where did you get that beautiful grandfather clock?

a digital clock (= that shows the time as numbers that keep changing ) A digital clock at the finish line shows runners their times.

a travel/travelling clock (= a small one for taking on journeys )

a cuckoo clock (= a clock with a wooden bird inside that comes out every hour and makes a sound )

a church clock (= one on the outside of a church tower )

a carriage clock British English (= a clock inside a glass case with a handle on top )

COMMON ERRORS

► Do not say ’ the clock shows five o’clock ‘. Say the clock says five o’clock .