Dave's ESL Cafe's Student Discussion Forums

[missdaredevil]

Your average adult has been clocked at two-and-a-half to three miles per hour, but to my knowledge, no toddler has ever been road-tested.

Could anyone explai *clock* here?

thanks

[BMO]

Use a clock to measure time or speed.

[advoca]

Purely for information:

In Britain to clock someone means to hit them.

He was so angry he clocked him one on the nose!

Don't ask me where this curious bit of slang came from.

[bud]

Yes, that's another meaning for "to clock" in the U.S., too.

[Vin21]

"To clean someone's clock" also means to hit or punch someone.
Here clean means hit and clock means face,is that right?
Thanks.

[bud]

I never thought about it like that, but now that you say it, it makes a lot of sense. I'm sure you're right.

[iitimone7]

Your average adult has been clocked at two-and-a-half to three miles per hour, but to my knowledge, no toddler has ever been road-tested.

Back to the original question, '...has been clocked..." means that someone has been timed at an action.