Definition
Clockwise
Clockwise is the turning direction followed by the hands of a standard clock.
What it means
Imagine following the clock hands around the centre. Clockwise tells you which way to turn, not how large the turn is. You might make a quarter turn clockwise or several complete clockwise turns.
Remember it
Follow the clock hands around the centre.
Example
An arrow points west. After a quarter turn clockwise about its centre, it points north.
Watch for
Clockwise names the direction of rotation; it does not tell the number of degrees.
Common mix-up
Clockwise and anticlockwise are opposite directions, but either can describe a small or large turn.
Exact meaning
Clockwise describes rotation around a point in the same direction as the hands of a standard analogue clock.