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A watched clock never moves

Meaning: Time seems slower when you're focused on it.

Origin: Variant of the 'watched pot' proverb, popularized in the 20th century.

Translations

  • French: Le temps semble long quand on l'attend (literally: Time feels long when you wait for it)
  • Spanish: El tiempo se detiene cuando lo miras (literally: Time stops when you watch it)
  • Japanese: 時計を見続けると時間は止まる (Tokei wo mitsuzukeru to jikan wa tomaru) (literally: If you keep watching the clock, time stops)

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