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Glite Dictionary
around-the-clock

around-the-clock

8 3.2
Happening all day and night without stopping
  • adjective
  • /əˈraʊnd ðə klɒk/
translation icon : ininterrumpido
  • The hospital provides around-the-clock care for patients in critical condition.
  • around-the-clock care
  • around-the-clock coverage
  • around-the-clock service

The trial created a full on media circus with around the clock coverage like this country had never seen before.

Examples

  • Breheny said Mitik, the walrus calf who recently came to the aquarium with health issues, was given around-the-clock care during the storm.

    Blog text (13)

  • On the 15th floor, we managed to catch Elvis and Linda strolling together at the end of the hallway near his suite, guarded by an around-the-clock security man.

    This Is Elvis (1981)

  • We're working hard and working around the clock to do that.

    Blog text (31)

  • So I bought a taxi so I could work around the clock and make money.

  • We are working around the clock here in Central New Jersey.

    Blog text (11)

  • Last seen five days ago, FBI agents have been working around the clock...

    Untraceable (2008)

  • "Well, put simply, we're working around the clock to enhance and expand our network to meet these challenges."

    Blog text (7)

  • An engineering team is working around the clock to fix it, Alexis.

    Dead Space: Aftermath (2011)

  • NJ TRANSIT crews are still working around the clock to restore damage.

    Blog text (31)

  • "We have been monitoring his condition carefully since his arrival and continued this around-the-clock care throughout the duration of the storm," aquarium officials said.

    Blog text (2)

Synonyms

constantly
vsaround-the-clock
740 1.0

Very often or all the time without stopping

means strict, uninterrupted continuous action throughout day and night
day-and-night
vsaround-the-clock
97 3.9

Happening at all times, day and night

focuses on the same nonstop day and night meaning
around the clock
vsaround-the-clock
59 3.0

Happens all day and all night without stopping

is the hyphenated written form for the same continuous meaning
nonstop
vsaround-the-clock
42 1.3

Continuing without any stops or pauses

focuses specifically on unbroken time across day and night
round-the-clock
vsaround-the-clock
24 3.9

Happening all day and all night without stopping

is the hyphenated variant used here for continuous day and night
day or night
vsaround-the-clock
20 2.4

Available at any time, both during the day and at night

means continuous operation throughout the whole day and night rather than mere availability
round the clock
vsaround-the-clock
7 3.0

Happens all day and night without stopping

is the hyphenated form preferred in this description
24/7
vsaround-the-clock
1 2.1

Open every hour of every day

is the spelled-out hyphenated phrase rather than numeric shorthand
every second of the day
vsaround-the-clock
  • Informal
1 2.5

All the time without stopping

is the literal continuous description without exaggeration

How Continuous

around-the-clock
8 3.2
constantly
740 1.0
frequently
476 1.0
regularly
386 1.0
sometimes
∞ 1.0
occasionally
438 2.0

Surface Forms

around-the-clock positive
around the clock positive

Morphology

around-the-clock = clock (transparent) = around + the + clock

The meaning is directly derived from the phrase 'around the clock' = continuously throughout the day and night, which is clear given knowledge of 'around' and 'clock'. [Postprocessing: moved 'around' from base_words to prefix]

Etymology

Around-the-clock comes from the simple image of going 'around' a clock, passing every hour on the clock face. So, it means 'all day and night' or 'continuously without stopping', which is why we use it for work or services that run 24 hours.