stop the clock

Idioms  

1. Postpone a deadline by not counting the elapsing hours. For example, Management agreed to stop the clock so that a new contract could be negotiated before the present one expired. [Mid-1900s]

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Example Sentences

See Examples For:

stop the clock

On the Giants next drive, with the Broncos already calling timeouts to stop the clock, Dart made a critical mistake.

From The Wall Street Journal ● Oct. 20, 2025

And on the play after the 2-minute warning, with the Chargers unable to stop the clock, Mahomes converted a third-and-seven with a nine-yard pass to All-Pro tight end Travis Kelce.

From Los Angeles Times ● Dec. 9, 2024

In an emotional interview, Garraway said it was a "stop the clock" moment when she learned her husband was going to die.

From BBC ● Feb. 5, 2024

"They're using the ability to suppress the circadian rhythm, but they don't stop the clock from running. It's a really novel way of fine-tuning a metabolic process and energy expenditure in an animal."

From Science Daily ● Nov. 16, 2023

I’ll buy time another way: Ask anyone over twenty-nine about their love life and you can stop the clock cold for fifteen minutes, minimum.

From "Better Nate Than Ever" by Tim Federle