o'clock

American  

[uh-klok] / əˈklɒk /

adverb

1. of, by, or according to the clock (used in specifying the hour of the day).

   It is now 4 o'clock.

2. according to a method for indicating relative position whereby a plane in space is considered to be numbered as a clock's face, with 12 o'clock considered as directly ahead in horizontal position or straight up in vertical position.

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o'clock British  

/ əˈklɒk /

adverb

1. used after a number from one to twelve to indicate the hour of the day or night

2. used after a number to indicate direction or position relative to the observer, twelve o'clock being directly ahead or overhead and other positions being obtained by comparisons with a clock face

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Etymology

Origin of o'clock

First recorded in 1710–20; from o', a reduced form of of; see o' + clock ¹ ( def. )

Example Sentences

See Examples For:

o'clock

I whispered as I brought my rod to the 2 o’clock position.

From The Wall Street Journal ● Jul. 5, 2026

Shortly after 10 o'clock this morning Andy Burnham finally confirmed what had been obvious for days - that he would stand to be the next Labour leader and therefore the UK's next prime minister.

From BBC ● Jun. 22, 2026

Another moment that I really like in the show is Odessa’s character, she wants to change a dinner reservation to five people at 8 o’clock.

From Los Angeles Times ● Jun. 18, 2026

“I fail to understand why anybody in airport bars is serving people at five or six o’clock in the morning,” he told British newspaper the Times.

From The Wall Street Journal ● Jun. 5, 2026

“This is a little more speculative, but can we tell anything about the caller from the times they telephoned? Once close to five a.m. and then again just after nine o’clock at night?”

From "The Brightwood Code" by Monica Hesse