The Collaborative International Dictionary
Electric \E*lec"tric\ ([-e]*l[e^]k"tr[i^]k), Electrical \E*lec"tric*al\ ([-e]*l[e^]k"tr[i^]*kal), a. [L. electrum amber, a mixed metal, Gr. 'h`lektron; akin to 'hle`ktwr the beaming sun, cf. Skr. arc to beam, shine: cf. F. ['e]lectrique. The name came from the production of electricity by the friction of amber.]
Pertaining to electricity; consisting of, containing, derived from, or produced by, electricity; as, electric power or virtue; an electric jar; electric effects; an electric spark; an electric charge; an electric current; an electrical engineer.
Capable of occasioning the phenomena of electricity; as, an electric or electrical machine or substance; an electric generator.
Electrifying; thrilling; magnetic. ``Electric Pindar.''
--Mrs. Browning.-
powered by electricity; as, electrical appliances; an electric toothbrush; an electric automobile.
Electric atmosphere, or Electric aura. See under Aura.
Electrical battery. See Battery.
Electrical brush. See under Brush.
Electric cable. See Telegraph cable, under Telegraph.
Electric candle. See under Candle.
Electric cat (Zo["o]l.), one of three or more large species of African catfish of the genus Malapterurus (esp. M. electricus of the Nile). They have a large electrical organ and are able to give powerful shocks; -- called also sheathfish.
Electric clock. See under Clock, and see Electro-chronograph.
Electric current, a current or stream of electricity traversing a closed circuit formed of conducting substances, or passing by means of conductors from one body to another which is in a different electrical state.
Electric eel, or Electrical eel (Zo["o]l.), a South American eel-like fresh-water fish of the genus Gymnotus ( G. electricus), from two to five feet in length, capable of giving a violent electric shock. See Gymnotus.
Electrical fish (Zo["o]l.), any fish which has an electrical organ by means of which it can give an electrical shock. The best known kinds are the torpedo, the gymnotus, or electrical eel, and the electric cat. See Torpedo, and Gymnotus.
Electric fluid, the supposed matter of electricity; lightning. [archaic]
Electrical image (Elec.), a collection of electrical points regarded as forming, by an analogy with optical phenomena, an image of certain other electrical points, and used in the solution of electrical problems.
--Sir W. Thomson.Electric machine, or Electrical machine, an apparatus for generating, collecting, or exciting, electricity, as by friction.
Electric motor. See Electro-motor, 2.
Electric osmose. (Physics) See under Osmose.
Electric pen, a hand pen for making perforated stencils for multiplying writings. It has a puncturing needle driven at great speed by a very small magneto-electric engine on the penhandle.
Electric railway, a railway in which the machinery for moving the cars is driven by an electric current.
Electric ray (Zo["o]l.), the torpedo.
Electric telegraph. See Telegraph.
Clock \Clock\ (kl[o^]k), n. [AS. clucge bell; akin to D. klok clock, bell, G. glocke, Dan. klokke, Sw. klocka, Icel. klukka bell, LL. clocca, cloca (whence F. cloche); al perh. of Celtic origin; cf. Ir. & Gael. clog bell, clock, W. cloch bell. Cf. Cloak.]
A machine for measuring time, indicating the hour and other divisions; in ordinary mechanical clocks for domestic or office use the time is indicated on a typically circular face or dial plate containing two hands, pointing to numbers engraved on the periphery of the face, thus showing the hours and minutes. The works of a mechanical clock are moved by a weight or a spring, and it is often so constructed as to tell the hour by the stroke of a hammer on a bell. In electrical or electronic clocks, the time may be indicated, as on a mechanical clock, by hands, but may also be indicated by direct digital readout, with the hours and minutes in normal Arabic numerals. The readout using hands is often called analog to distinguish it from the digital readout. Some clocks also indicate the seconds. Clocks are not adapted, like the watch, to be carried on the person. Specialized clocks, such as atomic clocks, may be constructed on different principles, and may have a very high precision for use in scientific observations.
A watch, esp. one that strikes. [Obs.]
--Walton.The striking of a clock. [Obs.]
--Dryden.-
A figure or figured work on the ankle or side of a stocking. --Swift. Note: The phrases what o'clock? it is nine o'clock, etc., are contracted from what of the clock? it is nine of the clock, etc. Alarm clock. See under Alarm. Astronomical clock.
A clock of superior construction, with a compensating pendulum, etc., to measure time with great accuracy, for use in astronomical observatories; -- called a regulator when used by watchmakers as a standard for regulating timepieces.
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A clock with mechanism for indicating certain astronomical phenomena, as the phases of the moon, position of the sun in the ecliptic, equation of time, etc. Electric clock.
A clock moved or regulated by electricity or electro-magnetism.
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A clock connected with an electro-magnetic recording apparatus.
Ship's clock (Naut.), a clock arranged to strike from one to eight strokes, at half hourly intervals, marking the divisions of the ship's watches.
Sidereal clock, an astronomical clock regulated to keep sidereal time.
WordNet
n. a clock using a small electric motor
Wikipedia
An electric clock is a clock that is powered by electricity, as opposed to a mechanical clock which is powered by a hanging weight or a mainspring. The term is often applied to the electrically powered mechanical clocks that were used before quartz clocks were introduced in the 1980s. The first experimental electric clocks were constructed around 1840, but they were not widely manufactured until mains electric power became available in the 1890s. In the 1930s the synchronous electric clock replaced mechanical clocks as the most widely used type of clock.
Usage examples of "electric clock".
It passed in the dry whirr of an electric clock on a console radio, in the far-off hoot of an auto horn down on Beachwood half a mile below, in the distant hornet drone of a night-flying plane, in the metallic wheeze of a cricket under the house.
Happening to glance at the electric clock, he was surprised to see that the time was only nine-thirty-seven.
He lay there watching the fire sink lower, and the hand of the electric clock moving from half past twelve to one o'clock.
Faintly, he could hear the hum of the refrigerator and the electric clock.
The glass bottles on the dresser behind me, the mirror, the electric clock by the bed.
It was the size and shape of a Dutch clock, and down the front of it were electric barometric indicators, an electric clock and calendar, and various engagement reminders.
She went into the kitchen, over-conscious of that Formica wonderland's little servo-sounds: electric clock, the oven where a ham was baking (turn that off at five if they're not back, she reminded herself), a cool clunk from the freezer as the Frigidaire's icemaker made another cube.
I stood up and started out toward the relative coolness of outdoors, and saw on the wall a cheap gaudy electric clock of the type which makes a sudden appearance in cut-rate drugstores at Christmastime.
Now that my eyes had become used to the gloom I could see the big electric clock over the door that led to the wards.
Rachel's electric clock whined merrily beside him, hands pointing to 1:30.
He had an electric clock device rigged that will keep the set transmitting toward Earth as long as the set operates.