clock

clock

1. a timepiece, usually free-standing, hanging, or built into a tower, having mechanically or electrically driven pointers that move constantly over a dial showing the numbers of the hours Compare digital clock watch

2. any clocklike device for recording or measuring, such as a taximeter or pressure gauge

3. Botany the downy head of a dandelion that has gone to seed

4. an electrical circuit that generates pulses at a predetermined rate

5. Computing an electronic pulse generator that transmits streams of regular pulses to which various parts of the computer and its operations are synchronized

6. an informal word for speedometer, mileometer

7. against the clock (in certain sports, such as show jumping) timed by a stop clock

Collins Discovery Encyclopedia, 1st edition © HarperCollins Publishers 2005

Clock

Any instrument for measuring or indicating time, especially a mechanical device with a numbered dial and moving hands or pointers.

Illustrated Dictionary of Architecture Copyright © 2012, 2002, 1998 by The McGraw-Hill Companies, Inc. All rights reserved

What does it mean when you dream about a clock?

Clocks as symbols often reflect the dreamer’s anxiety about not being on top of things, and thus behind schedule. A clock may also symbolize the biological clock that ticks away for people who want children, or those who feel that time is running out for them.

The Dream Encyclopedia, Second Edition © 2009 Visible Ink Press®. All rights reserved.

clock

[kläk]

(electronics)

A source of accurately timed pulses, used for synchronization in a digital computer or as a time base in a transmission system.

(horology)

A device for indicating the passage of time, usually containing a means for producing a regularly recurring action. Also known as timing circuit.

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Clock

[kläk]

(astronomy)

Horologium

McGraw-Hill Dictionary of Scientific & Technical Terms, 6E, Copyright © 2003 by The McGraw-Hill Companies, Inc.

clock

(processor)

A circuit in a processor that generates a regular sequence of electronic pulses used to synchronise operations of the processor's components. The time between pulses is the cycle time and the number of pulses per second is the clock rate (or frequency).

The execution times of instructions on a computer are usually measured by a number of clock cycles rather than seconds. Clock rates for various models of the computer may increase as technology improves, and it is usually the relative times one is interested in when discussing the instruction set.

This article is provided by FOLDOC - Free Online Dictionary of Computing (foldoc.org)

clock

An internal timing device. Using a quartz crystal, the CPU clock breathes life into the microprocessor by feeding it a constant flow of pulses. For example, a 200 MHz CPU receives 200 million pulses per second from the clock. A 2 GHz CPU gets two billion pulses per second. Similarly, in a communications device, a clock is used to set the transmission speed and may also be used to synchronize the pulses between sender and receiver.

A "real-time clock," also called the "system clock," keeps track of the time of day and makes this data available to the software. A "timesharing clock" interrupts the CPU at regular intervals and allows the operating system to divide its time between active users and/or applications. See per clock, clockless computing and Hertz.

The CPU Clock

The quartz crystal generates continuous waves, which are converted into digital pulses.

Copyright © 1981-2025 by The Computer Language Company Inc. All Rights reserved. THIS DEFINITION IS FOR PERSONAL USE ONLY. All other reproduction is strictly prohibited without permission from the publisher.

Clock

(dreams)

Circular images are one of the most important dream symbols, which represent the psychic center of personality. They are symbolic of wholeness, completeness, and unity of the self. The clock is a mandala that revolves and it may represent immortality. On the lighter side, when you are dreaming about a clock, time is an obvious issue. You may be currently experiencing anxiety in regard to a time-sensitive situation. For example, people worry about their “biological clock” running out, or they are concerned about not being “on top of things.” In general, however, this dream may be a reminder that you need to speed up your actions and that time is an important factor. Old dream interpretations say that if you hear a clock strike, or an alarm go off, positive things will happen to you, and if you are winding a clock, you will fall in love! When interpreting this dream, try to remember the time and then attempt to understand how those numbers are meaningful to you.

Bedside Dream Dictionary by Silvana Amar Copyright © 2007 by Skyhorse Publishing, Inc.