clock
UK[klɒk]US[klɑːk]
n
a device that shows the time of day, typically by means of hands or changing numbers on a dial, and is often kept in a room or worn on the wrist.
v
to achieve a time of a particular kind in a race or to record the time of an event, journey, or process.
Etymology
the journey of "clock" begins with the imitation of sound. the medieval latin word "clocca", likely of celtic origin, was onomatopoeic, mimicking the ringing of a bell. this term passed into various european languages, such as old french "cloche" and middle dutch "clocke". in medieval times, time was often signaled to a community by the tolling of a church or town bell. when mechanical timekeeping devices were developed, they incorporated a bell to strike the hours, leading to the transfer of the name from the bell itself to the entire time-telling mechanism. thus, the modern english word "clock" retains this historical link, evolving from a simple sound to denote the complex instrument that measures time.
Analysis
the word "clock" is a simplex word. it is a loanword into english from middle dutch "clocke", meaning "bell". its ultimate origin is medieval latin "clocca", likely of celtic or onomatopoeic origin, imitating the sound of a bell.
Examples
the old grandfather clock chimed midnight.
she clocked the fastest time in the qualifying round.
i need to clock in at work by 9 am.