checking watch

Eyeing the time

Checking watch describes the gesture of looking at a timepiece on one's wrist to see the time.

Beyond its literal function, it often signals impatience, boredom, or readiness to leave: He kept checking his watch during the meeting.

The phrase appears in stage directions and descriptions of body language to convey that someone is eager for something to end or for time to pass.

Related

waiting · killing time · late · hurry · ticking · seconds · minutes · anxious · appointment · deadline · restless · bored · punctual · clock · fleeting · nervous · running late · meeting

Categories
Opposites
time awareness

checking watchtime blindness

Inability to perceive duration

timelessness · unhurried · living in the moment

attention to schedule

checking watchgoing with the flow

Accepting situations without resistance

unhurried · unrushed · leisurely · spontaneous

engagement state

checking watchflow state

Optimal engagement condition

captivated · enthralled · rapt attention · immersed · riveted

Family

check, checked, checker, checkers, checks, recheck, rechecking, uncheck, unchecked

Familiarity
Top 200,000
Profile
Known to kids · Used worldwide · Timeless · Concrete · Everyday, not technical · Rated G