milk the clock
Waste time deliberately
To milk the clock is to deliberately use up time, especially in sports when a team with the lead runs plays that consume game time rather than risk turnovers.
The strategy extends beyond athletics—workers milk the clock by stretching tasks to fill remaining hours: He's just milking the clock until his shift ends.
The image suggests extracting every possible second, as one extracts milk.
- wasting timeUnproductive use of hours
- sandbaggingFeigning weakness strategically
- going through the motionsPerforming without genuine effort
- malingeringFabricating symptoms for gain
- stallingIntentional delay tactics
slacking · delaying · slow walking · postponing · procrastination · underperformance · shirking · loafing · inefficiency · dawdling · foot dragging · idling · goofing off · four corners · taking a knee · playing for time · dragging one's feet · dishonesty
milk the clockhurry-up offense
Rapid-tempo football strategy
fast break · two-minute drill · run and gun · quick strike · blitz
milk the clockattack mode
State of active aggression
take risks · go for the kill · go for broke · full-court press · play to win
milk, clock, milks, milked, milking, milky, milkier, milkiest, milkiness