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; o' + clock ¹ ( def. )

Example Sentences

It's now 24 years since Rhona Martin delivered the Stone of Destiny in Salt Lake City, watched by millions of rapt viewers at dark o'clock in the UK.

From BBC

Shepherd said the post-mortem examination finding a piece of apple in Kirsty's small bowel, which "fits very well indeed with Kirsty dying between three and four o'clock in the morning".

From BBC

"When I was going to school, I'd be doing my hair and makeup at like three o'clock in the morning, put music on, like literally had no concept of time."

From BBC

By six o'clock the house was filled with delicious aromas.

From Literature

"I really didn't like having a 12 o'clock curfew, because I just didn't feel like you should need it," he added.

From BBC