against the clock
7
3.7
- idiom
- Informal
:
contra reloj
- You are running against the clock at tracks around the US so you know it, it really is proper racing.
- a race against the clock
- worked against the clock
- up against the clock
You are running against the clock at tracks around the US so you know it, it really is proper racing.
- You are running against the clock at tracks around the US so you know it, it really is proper racing.
- You're so much, it's you against just you against the other guy, you against the clock.
- It's going way too slowly and I'm racing against the clock because if the Mets win the World Series this year, I'm because that is my whole third act.
Examples
-
Specifically on tests where the child works against the clock and tests where children have to integrate novel information.
Academic text (2005) -
Hey, we're kind of up against the clock, so hop right into your question, OK?
-
Now, we're against the clock.
-
We're against the clock on this one.
-
Up against the clock now, my love.
-
We're gonna be racing against the clock, not against each other!
-
No, you race against the clock and pull off some absolutely sweet tricks along the way.
Blog text (14) -
We worked against the clock, cutting the steel rods to reinforce the concrete and laying them in grids in the mud on the bed of the forms.
Fiction book (1995) -
A race against the clock begins, in which Efraín must get from London to the city of Cali, where the family has relocated in his absence, as quickly as possible.
Academic text (2016) -
The team is working late into the night, racing against the clock to complete the project before the deadline.
Synonyms
12
3.8
Working quickly to finish something before a deadline
10
4.2
When you have very little time you need to hurry
8
4.5
A situation where people must finish something quickly before it is too late
How Urgent
- Informal
7
3.7
101
2.5
- Informal
10
4.2
321
1.0
Surface Forms
Morphology
The meaning 'racing to finish before time runs out' is directly inferable from combining 'against' (in opposition to) with 'clock' (time/device), creating a clear and accessible metaphor of working opposed to time. This construction is cross-linguistically common (e.g., Spanish 'contra reloj', French 'contre la montre'), so a B1 learner who knows the constituent words will very likely understand the phrase.
Etymology
The phrase against the clock comes from the simple image of racing a big clock, where you try to beat the time shown. That's why it means 'racing to finish something before time runs out'.