turn the clock back

turn the clock back
turn the clock back & turn back the clock
1. Lit. to set a clock to an earlier time. •

I have to turn the clocks back each fall.

•

Please turn back the clock.

2. Fig. to try to return to the past. •

You are not facing up to the future. You are trying to turn the clock back to a time when you were more comfortable.

•

Let us turn back the clock and pretend we are living at the turn of the century—the time that our story takes place.

* * *
{v. phr.} To return to an earlier period. * /Mother wished she could turn the clock back to the days before the children grew up and left home./ * /Will repealing the minimum wage for workers under age eighteen turn the clock back to the abuses of the last century?/

Dictionary of American idioms. 2013.

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Look at other dictionaries:

  • turn the clock back — {v. phr.} To return to an earlier period. * /Mother wished she could turn the clock back to the days before the children grew up and left home./ * /Will repealing the minimum wage for workers under age eighteen turn the clock back to the abuses… …   Dictionary of American idioms

  • turn the clock back — put/turn the clock back to make things the same as they were at an earlier time. The court s decision has put the clock back a hundred years. Let s turn back the clock to 1963 and listen to the Beatles singing Love, love me do . (often + to) …   New idioms dictionary

  • turn\ the\ clock\ back — v. phr. To return to an earlier period. Mother wished she could turn the clock back to the days before the children grew up and left home. Will repealing the minimum wage for workers under age eighteen turn the clock back to the abuses of the… …   Словарь американских идиом

  • turn the clock back — return to an earlier period The politician wanted to turn the clock back to an earlier time but of course everyone knew it was impossible …   Idioms and examples

  • turn the clock back — go back to the hour which just passed; go back to the past …   English contemporary dictionary

  • turn the clock back — …   Useful english dictionary

  • put the clock back — put/turn the clock back to make things the same as they were at an earlier time. The court s decision has put the clock back a hundred years. Let s turn back the clock to 1963 and listen to the Beatles singing Love, love me do . (often + to) …   New idioms dictionary

  • turn back the clock — See: PUT BACK THE CLOCK …   Dictionary of American idioms

  • turn back the clock — See: PUT BACK THE CLOCK …   Dictionary of American idioms

  • turn back the clock — to make things the same as they were at an earlier time. I cannot vote for someone who promises to turn back the clock to better days because that s impossible. Usage notes: sometimes used in the form turn the clock back …   New idioms dictionary

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