clean someone’s clock: Idiom Meaning and Origin
What does ‘clean someone's clock’ mean?
The idiomatic expression clean someone's clock means to defeat or outdo someone decisively or thoroughly. It is often used to describe beating someone in a competition or argument.
Idiom Explorer
The idiom "wipe someone's eye" means to outdo or surpass someone in a particular area, usually in terms of skill or achievement. It implies a sense of triumph or victory over the other person.
The idiom "knock the living daylights out of" means to beat or hit someone very hard, often causing them to lose consciousness or be severely injured.
The idiom "knock out" means to defeat someone in a competition or fight, or to exhaust someone physically or emotionally.
The idiom *kick someone's ass* means to physically or figuratively defeat or dominate someone. It conveys a strong sense of power, aggression, and superiority. This phrase is often used colloquially and can be considered vulgar or offensive in certain contexts.
The idiom "hand someone his head" means to defeat or humiliate someone completely, usually in a competition or conflict.
The idiom "hand someone his hat" means to defeat or humiliate someone decisively.
The idiom "get the better of" means to overcome or defeat someone or something in a competition, argument, or struggle.
The idiom "game, set, match" refers to a decisive victory or conclusion, often used in sports or competitive situations.
An idiom meaning an extraordinarily unattractive face, to the point where it metaphorically stops a clock.
The idiom "cook someone's goose" means to ruin someone's plans or cause their downfall.
Inevitable Defeat: Unraveling "Clean Someone's Clock"
The idiom "clean someone's clock" is a commonly used phrase in American English. It is believed to have originated in the early 20th century, specifically in the United States. It is used to convey the meaning of defeating or outperforming someone decisively in a competition or conflict. The phrase is a figurative expression and does not involve actual cleaning of a clock. Instead, the word "clean" in this context means to thoroughly defeat or outshine someone, leaving no doubt about the outcome.
The phrase "clean someone's clock" is commonly used in informal situations, such as casual conversations or discussions among friends. It is often used in sports-related contexts, where one team or player completely dominates the other, leaving no chance for a comeback.
While the origin of this idiom is not documented, it is likely that the phrase's association with timekeeping devices such as clocks is a metaphorical representation of the abrupt and decisive nature of the victory or defeat. The idiom is well-known and widely understood by native English speakers in the United States. It is a versatile expression that can be used in various contexts to describe a thorough defeat or overpowering performance.
In addition to "clean someone's clock," there are other idioms related to time and defeating someone that can be used in similar contexts. One such idiom is "beat the clock." This idiom means to complete a task or achieve a goal within a limited amount of time. It can be used to describe a situation where someone successfully finishes a task just before the time runs out, defeating the challenge of completing it within a specific time frame.
Another related idiom is "wipe someone's eye." This idiom means to outdo or surpass someone in a skill or accomplishment. It can be used to describe a situation where someone impressively surpasses another person's performance, effectively defeating them in a competition or achievement.
When using these related idioms, it is important to consider the context and the desired effect. "Clean someone's clock" can be used to emphasize a definitive and total defeat, while "beat the clock" can highlight a successful completion within a time limit. "Wipe someone's eye" can showcase an impressive surpassing of someone's performance or skill.
The idiom "clean someone's clock" is a commonly used expression in American English. It originated in the early 20th century and is used to describe a decisive defeat or outperformance of someone in a competition or conflict. It is commonly used in informal situations and sports-related contexts. The phrase's association with timekeeping devices such as clocks is likely a metaphorical representation of the abrupt and decisive nature of the victory or defeat. The idiom is well-known and widely understood by native English speakers in the United States and can be used alongside related idioms such as "beat the clock" and "wipe someone's eye" to convey specific meanings and nuances.
Example usage
Examples of how the idiom *clean someone's clock* can be used in a sentence:
- She trained hard and was able to clean her opponent's clock during the boxing match.
- After losing the debate, he realized that his opponent had cleaned his clock with strong arguments.
- The team played exceptionally well and cleaned their opponents' clocks during the soccer game.
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