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Glite Dictionary
turret clock

turret clock

8.1
A large clock with faces on different sides, usually in a tower
  • noun
  • /ˈtʌrɪt klɒk/
translation icon : reloj de torre
  • Every evening, the turret clock in the cathedral towers over the square, guiding villagers with its reliable chimes.

Examples

  • Visitors admire the intricate design of the turret clock mounted atop the town hall, showcasing the time beautifully.

  • Catherine going to these wonderful buildings, seeing wonderful huge turret clocks and it combines so many different skills.

  • The historic castle features a magnificent turret clock that chimes every hour, visible from all directions.

Synonyms

clock
vsturret clock
∞ 1.0

A device that shows the time of day, usually on a dial or screen

is a large tower device with multiple dials showing time in all directions

How Big

clock tower
11 2.8
turret clock
8.1
clock
∞ 1.0
wall clock
4 1.0

Surface Forms

turret clock singular
turret clocks plural

Morphology

turret + clock

The meaning is directly compositional: 'turret' (a small tower) + 'clock' (a timekeeping device) yields a clock located in or on a tower. This noun–noun composition is a straightforward, cross-linguistically common locative/possessive pattern, so a B1 learner who knows both constituents will readily infer the MWE's meaning.

Etymology

Turret clock comes from old town buildings: a turret is a small 'tower' and people put a clock there so many streets could see and hear the time. So, the name describes a large clock fixed in a tower that shows the time in all directions.