(the) clock's running

[VicNicSor]

I saw in one thread these explanations:

... if there is a time limit, "the clock is running."

The clock runs.

In the movie Tango & Cash, in the context of a time limit, Gabe says "Clock's running, Ray. Let's go."
Is it idiomatic to just drop the article in speech in this expression?
Thanks.

 

[Rover_KE]

Yes — dropping the article is very common in speech in lots of expressions.

(In BE, 'the clock's ticking' is the usual expression.)

 

[VicNicSor]

Yes — dropping the article is very common in speech in lots of expressions.

(In BE, 'the clock's ticking' is the usual expression.)

Thank you.

 

[Parla]

In AE, it would also be "the clock's ticking", not "running"—although there's a similar expression, "the meter's running". There's also "time's running out".

 

[VicNicSor]

Thank you!