against the clock

Idioms  

1. Also, against time. In a great hurry, as fast as possible, as in With her term paper due on Monday, she was racing against the clock to finish it, or They were working against time to stay on schedule. The term comes from various sports in which the contestants do not directly compete against each other but instead are timed individually, the winner being the one who is fastest. Its figurative use dates from the mid-1900s.

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Example Sentences

The traditional skimo format is an individual racing against the clock, not in a cluster of competitors, and courses have elevation gains typically ranging from 1,640 to 2,300 feet.

From Los Angeles Times

“He’s not racing against the clock to cover an entire career.”

From The Wall Street Journal

Instead of preparing their own holiday festivities on the day before Christmas Eve, the women raced against the clock, with only hours left to perform a Christmas miracle.

From Los Angeles Times

"I do feel like it's a fight against the clock. We have to get this funding as quickly as possible," she said.

From Barron's

They are racing against the clock, fearful that the royal and Napoleonic-era jewels will be broken down and sold off for their gems.

From The Wall Street Journal