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grandfather clock
noun
: a tall pendulum clock that stands on the floor
called also grandfather, grandfather's clock
Examples of grandfather clock in a Sentence
Recent Examples on the Web
When the weights in a grandfather clock reach the bottom of their chains, the clock stops.
—Sun Sentinel Editorial Board, Sun Sentinel, 30 Nov. 2024
Hager likes to style grandfather clocks in foyers and hallways.
—Sarah Lyon, Southern Living, 25 Nov. 2024
But the only way to get the grandfather clock that features the Martinsville Speedway logo with the race date is to win a NASCAR Cup Series Race, a NASCAR Xfinity Series or NASCAR Craftsman Truck Series race at Martinsville.
—Bruce Martin, Forbes, 4 Nov. 2024
Humans have long kept time to regular phenomena, from the waxing and waning of the moon to the lulling swings of the pendulum in a grandfather clock.
—Shi En Kim, Smithsonian Magazine, 23 Sep. 2024
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Word History
Etymology
from the song My Grandfather's Clock (1876) by Henry C. Work †1884 American songwriter
First Known Use
1883, in the meaning defined above
Time Traveler
The first known use of grandfather clock was
in 1883
Dictionary Entries Near grandfather clock
Cite this Entry
“Grandfather clock.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/grandfather%20clock. Accessed 23 Dec. 2024.
Kids Definition
grandfather clock
noun
: a tall clock standing directly on the floor
More from Merriam-Webster on grandfather clock
Thesaurus: All synonyms and antonyms for grandfather clock
Britannica.com: Encyclopedia article about grandfather clock
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