watch the clock
idiom
: to pay close attention to the passing of time on a clock
especially
: to pay close attention to the time remaining on the clock for a particular part of a game
Examples of watch the clock in a Sentence
Recent Examples on the Web
When leaving the store, be sure to head across the street right before the hour to watch the clock chime—Mr. Fortnum pops out to bow to Mr. Mason.
For Foodies
Although English cuisine is often overlooked, London is a surprisingly robust foodie destination.
—
Ellen Lecompte, Travel + Leisure, 22 July 2025
Blackstone employees don’t watch the clock, Ross noted.
—Byluisa Beltran, Fortune, 21 Aug. 2023
Until then, fans will have to watch the clock on Rodrigo's website count down to the big release.
—Kate Perez, USA TODAY, 14 June 2023
People think—or thought, perhaps—that smart thermostats reduce consumption because they are supposed to do more than watch the clock and the mercury.
—Ian Bogost, The Atlantic, 26 Sep. 2022
Monitors would watch the clock, Olympic officials said.
—New York Times, 28 July 2021
The downside is that diners don’t watch the clock.
—Sarah Blaskovich, Dallas News, 27 Jan. 2021
Whatever broad rules and computations make those interactions (and others) possible may underlie our experience of time, but until they are pinpointed, scientists can only watch the clock — or clocks — in anticipation.
—Quanta Magazine, 24 Sep. 2020
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Ellen Lecompte, Travel + Leisure, 22 July 2025
Blackstone employees don’t watch the clock, Ross noted.
—Byluisa Beltran, Fortune, 21 Aug. 2023
Until then, fans will have to watch the clock on Rodrigo's website count down to the big release.
—Kate Perez, USA TODAY, 14 June 2023
People think—or thought, perhaps—that smart thermostats reduce consumption because they are supposed to do more than watch the clock and the mercury.
—Ian Bogost, The Atlantic, 26 Sep. 2022
Monitors would watch the clock, Olympic officials said.
—New York Times, 28 July 2021
The downside is that diners don’t watch the clock.
—Sarah Blaskovich, Dallas News, 27 Jan. 2021
Whatever broad rules and computations make those interactions (and others) possible may underlie our experience of time, but until they are pinpointed, scientists can only watch the clock — or clocks — in anticipation.
—Quanta Magazine, 24 Sep. 2020
Cite this Entry
“Watch the clock.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/watch%20the%20clock. Accessed 6 Aug. 2025.
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