chess clock

noun

1. a timer for chess players, having a dial for each player on which the accumulated time is recorded and a device for stopping one timer and starting the other at the end of each move.

Word History and Origins

Origin of chess clock¹

First recorded in 1885–90

Example Sentences

The tick of the chess clock was the only sound heard.

From Literature

Bobby’s invention of a new chess clock that operated differently from those traditionally used in tournaments had to be specially manufactured for the match, and Vasiljevic had it made.

From Literature

At the tournament site—the Beverly Hilton Hotel—Bobby’s chess clock was started promptly at eleven a.m.

From Literature

Also supporting the belief that Bobby had experienced the ritual was the fact that, many years later, he gave an old chess clock and chess set to his Hungarian friend Pal Benko, a grandmaster.

From Literature

To limit the time that a game of chess may take—and to establish equality between players so that, for example, one doesn’t take hours to make a move and the other only minutes—a special chess clock is used in tournaments.

From Literature