a clock

A form of o'clock — In conjunction with a numeral, indicates the time within a twelve-hour period (midnight to noon or noon to midnight), specifically the time when the hour hand of a clock points precisely to the symbol or marking corresponding to the designated numeral, i.e., at the hour.

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Meanings

adverba clock (not comparable)
  1. not comparableobsoleteObsolete form of o'clock.

    The Cocks to be weighed at 7 a Clock the Morning before they Fight, to begin to Fight preciſely at 9 a Clock.

    1712 April 14, “Advertisements”, in The Newcastle Courant: With News Foreign and Domestick, number 111, Newcastle: […] John White, […], page 4, column 2
    2 more examples

    […]you wil find the Suns riſing at 4 a clock in the morning, and if you turn the ſaid point to the Weſt ſide of Heaven upon the Horizon, then you wil ſee the dial to lye upon 8 a clock in the evening[…]

    [1679], [Edmond Halley], “II. Exemple. How at anny time to knowe the rising and going under of the Sun.”, in A plain Declaration of the vulgar new Heavens Flatform. Serving not onely fore this Age, but also fore the future Age of 100 years., page 1

    Loſt abont^([sic]) 10 a Clock on Thurſday night from Spring Garden near Charing Croſs, a liver colour and white Spaniel Dog, with a black Velvet Collar and two braſs Bells about his Neck, about a year old;

    1702 August 18, The Post Man: And the Historical Account, &c., number 1005, London: […] Fr. Leach, […], column 1
Cite this entry
APA

a clock. (n.d.). In WatkinsX Dictionary. Retrieved November 2, 2026, from https://dictionary.watkinsx.com/word/a%20clock

MLA

“a clock.” WatkinsX Dictionary, https://dictionary.watkinsx.com/word/a%20clock. Accessed November 2, 2026.

Chicago

WatkinsX Dictionary, s.v. “a clock,” accessed November 2, 2026, https://dictionary.watkinsx.com/word/a%20clock.

Source: a clock on Wiktionary, CC BY-SA 4.0.