grandfather's clock

or grandfather clock

noun

1. a pendulum floor clock having a case as tall as or taller than a person; tall-case clock; long-case clock.

Word History and Origins

Origin of grandfather's clock¹

First recorded in 1890–95

Example Sentences

Other noteworthy historical pieces include the secretary in the third floor hallway that belonged to Shadrach Bond, Illinois’ first governor, and a pre-Revolutionary War grandfather’s clock in the library.

From Washington Times

In the hall outside her room, the grandfather’s clock ticked deliberately, unimpressed with anyone’s impatience, and Winnie found herself rocking to its rhythm—forward, back, forward, back, tick, tock, tick, tock.

From Literature

She sang to me when I couldn’t sleep: “How Much Is That Doggie in the Window?” and something by Peter, Paul and Mary, and “My Grandfather’s Clock,” which I would request even though, or perhaps because, it made me cry.

From Slate

I believe that change is healthy and all trends cycle like the pendulum of a old Grandfather’s clock – slowly all the way to one side, then slowly all the way to the other, then back again.

From Forbes

Then the Cup and Saucer labelled a "Present from Ramsgate," and the Old Grandfather's Clock glowed with satisfaction.

From Project Gutenberg