clockwork

English

Etymology

From clock +‎ -work.

Pronunciation

• (US) IPA^(key): /ˈklɑkwɝk/
• (UK) IPA^(key): /ˈklɒkwɜːk/

Noun

clockwork (usually uncountable, plural clockworks)

1. A mechanism powered by a coiled spring and regulated by some form of escapement; the power is transmitted through toothed gearwheels and used to drive a mechanical clock, toy, or other device.
2. The action of behaving mechanically in the manner of a clock.
   • 1837, L[etitia] E[lizabeth] L[andon], “An Evening Alone”, in Ethel Churchill: Or, The Two Brides. […], volume I, London: Henry Colburn, […], →OCLC, page 307:

     The mind feeds upon the body: pale sickness, and early decrepitude, overmaster even its spiritual essence. Too late it discovers that this earth is its prison, and not its home: the heart beats, and its pulses are the clockwork of wretchedness:...

Derived terms

• clockwork orange
• clockwork radio
• clockwork universe
• like atomic clockwork
• like clockwork

 

Translations

mechanism powered by coiled spring to drive mechanical device

• Bulgarian: часовников механизъм (časovnikov mehanizǎm)
• Chinese:

  Mandarin: 发条装置, 钟表机构

• Dutch: uurwerk (nl) n
• French: rouage (fr)
• German: Federwerk n, Uhrwerk (de) n
• Icelandic: klukkuverk n, úrverk n, gangverk (is) n
• Irish: oibriú cloig
• Italian: orologeria (it) f, meccanismo a molla
• Japanese: からくり (ja) (karakuri), ぜんまい仕掛け (ぜんまいじかけ, zenmaijikake)
• Norwegian: urverk n
• Polish: zegarowy mechanizm sprężynowy m
• Portuguese: corda (pt) f
• Spanish: cuerda (es) f, mecanismo (es) m, mecanismo de relojería f, engranaje (es) m,
• Swedish: urverk (sv)

Adjective

clockwork (not comparable) (attributive)

1. Driven by clockwork.
2. Very smooth and regular.
   • 1962 April, J. M. Tolson, “The Nederlands Railways today: III: Signalling and freight”, in Modern Railways, page 244:

     In their freight, as in their passenger operations, the N.S. present a picture of clockwork efficiency.

References

• “clockwork”, in Lexico, Dictionary.com; Oxford University Press, 2019–2022.