1 B1 neutral
To officially record the end of your working shift using a timekeeping device.
"She clocked off at five o'clock and headed straight to the gym."
inseparable
clock off
B1 neutral inseparable intransitive
To record the time you finish work and leave, typically using a machine or app.
In plain English
To press a button or use a card to show what time you stopped working.
What does "clock off" mean?
2 meanings, ordered from most common to least. Color-coded by CEFR level.
2 B2 idiomatic informal
To stop paying attention or mentally disengage from a task or situation (informal).
"By the third hour of the meeting, most people had clocked off mentally."
inseparable
Literal vs figurative
Words literally mean
To record ('clock') going 'off' (away from) the timekeeping system.
Actually means
To press a button or use a card to show what time you stopped working.
Usage tip
Chiefly British English. The American equivalent is 'clock out.' Often used informally to simply mean 'stop working' even without a formal timekeeping system.
Words that pair with "clock off"
Natural word combinations native speakers use most often.
shift work early time machine factory
How to conjugate "clock off"
The five tense forms you'll use most often.
Base
clock off
I/you/we/they
3rd person
clocks off
he/she/it
Past simple
clocked off
yesterday
Past participle
clocked off
have + pp
-ing form
clocking off
continuous
Hear "clock off" in the wild
Listen to native speakers using "clock off" in real YouTube videos — click a clip to watch it on Looplines.
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