Like clockwork

If something is like clockwork,

  • it is generally slow.

    Votes: 4 2.5%
  • it is punctual and regular.

    Votes: 155 96.9%
  • it is generally late.

    Votes: 1 0.6%

  • Total voters
    160

Tdol

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Interesting- I'll remember that. ;-)
 

Qasem

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Oct 19, 2006
I attained that word...
it is really good idiom and i'll keep it in my mind forever.

Thanks for getting this..
 

Tdol

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I like it when other languages have the same idioms or sayings. ;-)
 

Johnny

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Can I say

Here goes Jack, he is one of the most excellent employees in this company, he is working like a clockwork?

Just for practice!!
 

Tdol

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I'd say 'he works like clockwork' as it's a habit not just now. ;-)
 

BobK

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I like it when other languages have the same idioms or sayings. ;-)
:up: I like it too when words in different languages depend on the same image, like Italian cavalletto (tripod) and English 'clothes-horse'.

There's also the expression '[as] regular as clockwork': "He catches the 7.45 every morning, regular as clockwork".

b
 

Huda-M

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It should have been - like atomic clock - its probably the best clock i've heard of- :)
 

nitikasnv

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Jan 9, 2010
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Student or Learner
Meaning

Hi,

clockwork :A mechanism of geared wheels driven by a wound spring, as in a mechanical clock.

And now the meaning of like clockwork:With machinelike regularity and precision.


Ex: The project proceeded like clockwork. [FONT=&quot]


Thanks
[/FONT]
 

RoseSpring

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We have the same one in Arabic. Very interesting indeed!
 

thenerd12

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Jan 24, 2012
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Interesting idiom!:)
 

JarekSteliga

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Nov 30, 2011
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:up: I like it too when words in different languages depend on the same image, like Italian cavalletto (tripod) and English 'clothes-horse'.

There's also the expression '[as] regular as clockwork': "He catches the 7.45 every morning, regular as clockwork".

b

I have one remarkable example of this happening between English and Polish.

A crane (a bird) = żuraw
A crane (a machine for lifting heavy objects) = żuraw
Craneberry (I suppose a kind of berry cranes more than other birds are fond of) = żurawina
 
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