clock
gb/klˈɑk/ us/klˈɑk/
A1
English
~ 3000
óra, lemér, bemér, időt ér el, behúz, pofán vág, kiszúr, felismer, észrevesz
NOUN
A1
1
óra
A1
Usage pattern:
a [adjective] clock
The clock on the wall stopped at noon.
A falióra délben állt meg.
She glanced at the clock and realized she was late.
Rápillantott az órára, és rájött, hogy késésben van.
I bought a new digital clock for my bedroom.
The clock struck midnight.
He set the clock ahead by five minutes.
Learner examples
The clock says it is three o’clock.
Az óra szerint három óra van.
I have a big clock in my kitchen.
Van egy nagy óra a konyhámban.
This clock is very old.
My clock is broken.
I look at the clock every morning.
Common mistake:
Learners sometimes confuse 'clock' with 'watch'; 'clock' is usually for a fixed device, while 'watch' is worn on the wrist.
Meaning
Device for telling time
Collocations
alarm clock
|wall clock
|digital clock
|clock face
|set the clock
Synonyms
timepiece (More formal or old-fashioned term for any device that tells time.)
Antonyms
timer (Counts down or up from a set time rather than showing the current time.)
Themes
daily life
|technology
|home
|time
|daily_life
|core_vocabulary
Definition
A device that shows what time it is.
An instrument that measures and displays the current time, typically using hands on a dial or a digital display.
VERB
B1
INFORMAL
2
Usage pattern:
to clock [someone/something] at [speed/time]
The police clocked the car at 100 miles per hour.
A rendőrség 100 mérföld/órás sebességgel mérte be az autót.
She clocked her best marathon time this year.
Idén érte el élete legjobb maratoni idejét.
The technician clocked the machine’s cycle at two seconds.
Learner examples
The car was clocked at 80 km/h.
Az autót 80 km/órás sebességgel mérték be.
They clocked my run at 10 minutes.
Tíz percet mértek a futásomra.
The police clocked the bike going fast.
Common mistake:
Some learners confuse this meaning with 'clock in' (to register arrival at work), which is related but more specific.
Meaning
Measure or record time or speed
Collocations
clock a runner
|clock a lap time
|clocked at 90 mph
Synonyms
time (General term for measuring duration, not necessarily speed.)
Antonyms
guess (To estimate without measuring accurately.)
Themes
sports
|transport
|measurement
|science
|core_vocabulary
Definition
To find out how fast something is or how long it takes by using a timer or measurement device.
To measure or record the amount of time taken to do something, or the speed at which someone or something moves.
VERB
B2
INFORMAL
3
Usage pattern:
to clock [someone]
He threatened to clock anyone who came closer.
Azzal fenyegetőzött, hogy behúz egyet bárkinek, aki közelebb jön.
She clocked him before he could react.
Behúzott neki, mielőtt reagálhatott volna.
I nearly got clocked for interrupting their argument.
Learner examples
He clocked the man in the face.
Arcon ütötte a férfit.
She clocked him hard.
Jó nagyot behúzott neki.
The boy was clocked by another boy.
Common mistake:
Learners may think this meaning relates to time; it is slang for hitting and unrelated to measuring time.
Meaning
Hit in the face or head
Collocations
clock him one
|clocked her right in the jaw
Synonyms
punch (More general term for hitting with a closed fist.)
Antonyms
caress (To touch gently, as an opposite action to hitting.)
Themes
violence
|slang
|daily_life
Definition
To hit someone hard in the face or head.
To strike someone, especially in the face or head, usually with force.
VERB
B2
INFORMAL
4
Usage pattern:
to clock [someone/something]
I clocked him as soon as he entered the room.
Azonnal kiszúrtam, amint belépett a szobába.
She didn’t clock the mistake until later.
Csak később szúrta ki a hibát.
He finally clocked what they were talking about.
Learner examples
I clocked my friend in the shop.
Kiszúrtam a barátomat a boltban.
She did not clock the error.
Nem vette észre a hibát.
They clocked him when he came in.
Common mistake:
Learners may confuse this with recording time; here it means noticing something visually or mentally.
Meaning
Notice or recognize quickly
Collocations
clocked him across the room
|clock what’s going on
Synonyms
spot (Common informal term for noticing something visually.)
Antonyms
overlook (To fail to notice something.)
Themes
perception
|communication
|core_vocabulary
Definition
To see or realize something quickly.
To notice, see, or recognize someone or something, often unexpectedly or quickly.
Grammar
Dictionary form
clock
IPA
GB/klˈɑk/
US/klˈɑk/
Syllables & stress
clock (1 syllable)
Stress on 1st syllable (clock)
Word forms
Noun
- Base: clock
- Plural: clocks
Verb
- Base: clock
- 3rd Person Singular: clocks
- Present Participle: clocking
- Past: clocked
Word family
Forms
clocks
noun
clocking
verb
clocked
verb
Core family
clockwise
adverb
Related words
clockwork
noun
clockmaker
noun
Negative and opposite forms
counterclockwise
adverb
anticlockwise
adverb
Expressions
around the clock
1/ɚˈaʊnd ðə klˈɑk/
idiom
All day and night without stopping
All the time, day and night, without stopping.
Examples
- The hospital is open around the clock.
- They worked around the clock to finish the project.
clock in
1/klˈɑk ˈɪn/
phrasal verb
Record start work time
To record the time you start working, usually by using a card or computer system.
Examples
- Employees must clock in before starting their shifts.
- I forgot to clock in this morning.
clock out
1/klˈɑk ˈaʊt/
phrasal verb
Record finish work time
To record the time you stop working, usually by using a card or computer system.
Examples
- Don’t forget to clock out before you leave.
- She clocked out early today.
race against the clock
1/ɹˈeɪs əɡˈɛnst ðə klˈɑk/
idiom
Compete with a deadline limit
To try to finish something before you run out of time.
Examples
- It was a race against the clock to get the report done.
- They raced against the clock to rescue survivors.
turn back the clock
1/tˈɚn bˈæk ðə klˈɑk/
idiom
Return to an earlier time or state
To go back to a past time or situation that has ended.
Examples
- You can’t turn back the clock on progress.
- He wished he could turn back the clock and fix his mistakes.