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Glite Dictionary
to clock the tea

to clock the tea

9.9
Watch the time while tea brews so it does not become too strong
  • phrasal verb
  • Informal
translation icon : cronometrar el té
  • It's important to clock the tea to avoid over-steeping it.

Examples

  • She always clocks the tea for exactly five minutes.

  • She forgot to clock the tea and it turned out too strong.

  • He uses his phone to clock the tea every morning.

  • Don't forget to clock the tea!

  • He uses his timer to clock the tea so that it brews perfectly.

  • Make sure to clock the tea to keep its flavor from becoming bitter.

  • To ensure the best taste, I always clock the tea for three minutes.

Synonyms

to clock
vsto clock the tea
85 3.5

To measure how long something takes, for example in a race

monitors brewing time continuously to achieve correct steeping

Surface Forms

clock the tea infinitive
clocked the tea past
clocked the tea past participle
clocking the tea present participle
clocks the tea third person singular

Morphology

clock + the + tea

The meaning is directly derivable from the constituents: 'clock' as a verb means to measure or record time and 'tea' names the object being timed, with 'the' merely a determiner. This simple verb + object composition maps transparently onto the concept of timing tea steeping, so a B1 learner who knows the parts would readily infer the MWE's meaning.

Etymology

Clock the tea comes from a simple kitchen image: you put a pot of tea on and watch a clock to count the minutes while it brews. That's why it means 'to time' or 'to watch' the tea as it brews, so it does not become too strong.