eat up/run out/kill the clock
idiom
US, sports
: to keep control of the ball or puck near the end of a game so that the opponent will not have a chance to score
We kept moving the ball to try to eat up the clock.
If we can run out the clock, we can keep our lead and win.
Cite this Entry
“Eat up/run out/kill the clock.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/eat%20up%2Frun%20out%2Fkill%20the%20clock. Accessed 13 Jul. 2025.
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Merriam-Webster unabridged
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