anticlockwise

Against the clock

Anticlockwise means rotating in the opposite direction to the hands of a clock—counterclockwise in American English.

The term is standard in British usage: Turn the dial anticlockwise to reduce the volume.

It serves as both adjective and adverb: an anticlockwise rotation, The water swirled anticlockwise down the drain.

rotation

widdershins

Against the sun's path

leftwardToward the left
spinRapid rotation around axis
turnRotational movement

revolve · rotate · gyrate · whirl · twirl · swirl · pivot · circle · orbit · cycle

spiral

coil

Wound circular arrangement

helixSpiraling three-dimensional curve
whorlSpiral arrangement of ridges
curlSpiral or loop form

twist · loop · scroll · volute · winding · convolution · corkscrew · furl · unfurl · unwinding

reversal

backward

Toward what's behind

reverseTurn to opposite
undoReverse a prior action
rewindReturn to beginning

unwind · contrary · opposite · inverse · retrace · backtrack

Categories

directionsnorth, south, east, west, left

Opposites

rotational direction

anticlockwiseclockwise

Rightward circular motion

right-handed · sunwise · CW

Family

clock, clockwork, clockwise, counterclockwise, clockmaker, counter-clockwise

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Profile: Timeless · Everyday, not technical · Rated G