CLOCKWORK

Pronunciation (US):

(GB):

IPA (US):

 Dictionary entry overview: What does clockwork mean? 

• CLOCKWORK (noun)
  The noun CLOCKWORK has 1 sense:

1. any mechanism of geared wheels that is driven by a coiled spring; resembles the works of a mechanical clock

  Familiarity information: CLOCKWORK used as a noun is very rare.

 Dictionary entry details 

• CLOCKWORK (noun)

Sense 1

Meaning:

Any mechanism of geared wheels that is driven by a coiled spring; resembles the works of a mechanical clock

Classified under:

Nouns denoting man-made objects

Hypernyms ("clockwork" is a kind of...):

mechanism (device consisting of a piece of machinery; has moving parts that perform some function)

Meronyms (parts of "clockwork"):

mainspring (the most important spring in a mechanical device (especially a clock or watch); as it uncoils it drives the mechanism)

 Context examples 

I believe she was happy in her way: this routine sufficed for her; and nothing annoyed her so much as the occurrence of any incident which forced her to vary its clockwork regularity.

(Jane Eyre, by Charlotte Brontë)

It was like clockwork.

(Martin Eden, by Jack London)