anti-clockwise
Definition
Adverb:
- Direction of movement: "anti-clockwise" describes movement in the opposite direction to the rotation of the hands of a clock, i.e., turning to the left when viewed from above.
Adjective:
- Characterizing such movement: "anti-clockwise" also functions as an adjective to describe a motion, arrangement, or orientation that proceeds in this opposite direction.
Usage Examples
Adverb:
- Turn the knob anti-clockwise to open the valve. (Rotate it to the left, opposite to clock-hand movement.)
- The dancers moved anti-clockwise around the circle. (They moved in a leftward direction.)
Adjective:
- The anti-clockwise rotation of the fan helps cool the room. (The fan spins leftward.)
- Please follow the anti-clockwise route around the park. (A path that goes to the left.)
Advanced Usage
"to go anti-clockwise": to move or proceed in a leftward direction.
- The car went anti-clockwise around the roundabout. (It travelled opposite to the usual clockwise flow.)
"anti-clockwise direction": a specific orientation used in mathematics, navigation, or mechanics.
- The vector points in an anti-clockwise direction relative to the axis. (It indicates a leftward turn.)
Variants and Related Words
Clockwise (adj/adv): the opposite direction, moving in the same direction as a clock's hands.
- Turn the screw clockwise to tighten it. (Move it to the right.)
Counterclockwise (adj/adv): a synonym for "anti-clockwise", used primarily in American English.
- The fan spins counterclockwise. (It rotates leftward.)
Synonyms
- Counterclockwise: the standard American English term for the same concept.
- Leftward: moving or facing to the left.
Phrasal Verbs
- (None directly associated with "anti-clockwise"; it is typically used as a standalone adverb or adjective.)
Related Idioms
- (No common idioms include "anti-clockwise"; it is a technical directional term.)