the clock is ticking
1
4.4
- idiom
- Informal
- Realizing that time was limited, she felt the pressure of the clock ticking as the meeting drew closer.
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Watch on YouTubeBut now, kid, now, you know, the clock is ticking.
- But now, kid, now, you know, the clock is ticking.
- But now you know, the clock is ticking.
- And so as the clock is ticking, Russian early warning systems now move into place.
- And as the clock is ticking, the things that I think give me any value whatsoever are fading.
- Yeah, Boy, the clock is ticking and a block is hot.
Examples
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With only a week left until the project is due, the clock is ticking for our team to finish.
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And as the clock is ticking, the things that I think give me any value whatsoever are fading.
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And so as the clock is ticking, Russian early warning systems now move into place.
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You've explained all this once the clock is ticking, by the way.
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Werner's like the clock is ticking, and Kristoff's like, yes, the clock is ticking.
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As the deadline approaches, the clock is ticking, and we must make a decision soon.
Synonyms
136
2.9
Not enough time left to finish something
7
3.7
Trying to finish something before time runs out
1
5.4
A warning that little time remains to finish something
Antonyms
How Urgent
- Informal
2
7.2
7
3.3
- Informal
1
4.4
35
2.7
Surface Forms
Morphology
The meaning is directly built from the literal image of a clock making a ticking sound: knowing 'clock' and 'ticking' readily evokes passing time and urgency. This metaphorical-but-obvious mapping (time is running out) is common cross-linguistically and therefore a B1 learner who knows the constituents can infer the intended meaning.
Etymology
The clock is ticking comes from the sound of a real clock ticking as minutes pass. That steady noise reminds people that time is limited, so saying the clock is ticking means 'time is running out'.