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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
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
The miniature grandfather clock never ticked in Greg Allison’s childhood.
—Noah Goldberg, Los Angeles Times, 8 Aug. 2024
One, however, was missing: a miniature grandfather clock.
—Noah Goldberg, Los Angeles Times, 8 Aug. 2024
While waiting for the maître d’, a customer could step on an antique scale the size of a grandfather clock.
—Lauren Collins, The New Yorker, 1 Apr. 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 5 Nov. 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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