put the clock back
The idiom "put the clock back" can refer to both literal and figurative actions involving returning to an earlier time.
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Definition
B2Time Adjustment
(general, daylight saving)To set a clock to an earlier time, often by one hour, such as when daylight saving time ends.
Example
- Remember to put the clock back an hour this Sunday.
C1Nostalgia or Regression
(figurative, nostalgic)To attempt to return to a previous era or condition, often viewed as less advanced or more traditional.
Example
- Some people wish they could put the clock back to a simpler time.
Similar
Terms that have similar or relatively close meanings to "put the clock back":
clock ontoclock onstop someone's clockput backwall clockclock inback timetime backpulsar clockbeat the clockkeep timebracket clockturn backtell timeon the clockticking clocktime change