against the clock

against the clock

Meaning

• in a great hurry to finish something before a particular time
• in a race against time
• as fast as possible
• not have enough time to do something
• work very fast to complete something within a deadline

Example Sentences

1. The team was working against the clock to finish the project on time.
2. With her exams scheduled the next week, she was racing against the clock to finish her preparations.
3. We'd better start doing this early rather than wait now and then race against the clock to meet the deadline.
4. The authorities were working against the clock to evacuate the low lying settlements as a cyclone was predicted to hit the coast over the next few days.
5. With heavy rains having interrupted their schedule, the organizers were racing against the clock to put up the event on time.
6. He was working against the clock to finish his presentation in time for the upcoming conference.

Origin

This phrase originated in the mid 1900s and refers to various timed sports in which the participants do not compete directly against each other but are timed individually.

Synonyms

• race against time