Mike: Are you going out to grab lunch later?
Jason: Yes I am, why? Do you want me to grab you something?
Mike: Yes please. I need to finish three reports by 2 o’clock so I have to work against the clock today.

Jason: Sure, not a problem. I’ll drop off a sandwich at your desk at around noon.
Mike: Thanks! You’re the best colleague!

Mike가 Jason에게 “Are you going out to grab lunch later? 혹시 있다가 점심 사러 나가요?” 라고 묻자 Jason이 “Yes I am, why? Do you want me to grab you something? 네, 왜요? 뭐라도 사다 드릴까요?”라고 다시 물어보네요.

Mike가 “Yes please. 네, 부탁드릴게요. I need to finish three reports by 2 o’clock so I have to work against the clock today. 오늘 2시까지 보고서 세 건을 마쳐야 해서 다급하게 일해야 하거든요.”라고 하네요.

이어 Jason이 “Sure, not a problem. I’ll drop off a sandwich at your desk at round noon. 네, 그래요. 그럼 제가 정오쯤에 책상으로 샌드위치 갖다 드릴게요.” 라고 합니다. Keep today’s phrase ‘against the clock’ in mind and let’s hear the conversation again. 그럼 다시 한번 대화를 들어볼까요?

Mike: Are you going out to grab lunch later?
Jason: Yes I am, why? Do you want me to grab you something?
Mike: Yes please. I need to finish three reports by 2 o’clock so I have to work against the clock today.

Jason: Sure, not a problem. I’ll drop off a sandwich at your desk at around noon.
Mike: Thanks! You’re the best colleague!

오늘의 표현은 against the clock입니다. When you are against the clock, it means that you are rushed to do something and you don’t have much time to do it. It basically means that you are in a race with time and that you are in a hurry to get something done before a specific time.

시간에 쫓기듯이 일해 본 적 있으시죠? 그럴 때면 마음이 급해서 흥분도 되고 서두르게도 됩니다. 이처럼 어떤 일을 쫓기듯이 할 때, 또는 시간에 맞춰서 끝내야 할 때 쓸 수 있는 표현이 바로 ‘against the clock / to do something against the clock’입니다.

정해진 시간 안에 무언가를 마쳐야 해서 마치 시간과 경주를 하듯이 일을 급하게 해야 한다는 말이죠. 그리고 비슷한 뜻으로 ‘against the time’이 있다는 것 알아두시기 바랍니다.

이제 예를 들어 볼까요? Let me give you some examples. “The guests are coming over in 20 minutes and I’m not even close to preparing dinner. Oh my! It looks like I have to race against the clock.”라고 하면 “손님들이 20분 안에 도착하는데 저녁 준비도 아직 못했어. 어휴, 어쩔 수 없다. 그냥 후다닥 해야지.”라는 뜻이 됩니다. Now you know what ‘against the clock’ means right? Then we will listen to the conversation for the last time.

Mike: Are you going out to grab lunch later?
Jason: Yes I am, why? Do you want me to grab you something?
Mike: Yes please. I need to finish three reports by 2 o’clock so I have to work against the clock today.

Jason: Sure, not a problem. I’ll drop off a sandwich at your desk at around noon.
Mike: Thanks! You’re the best colleague!

Let’s review. ‘Against the clock’ means to be rushed to get something done because you have little time to complete it. AGAINST THE CLOCK.