Even a Broken Clock is Right Twice a Day
This is literally true. Even if a clock is stopped because it is broken, it will still produce the correct time twice a day. This phrase has been applied to people who are seldom correct and rarely reliable. They can be right some of the time, even if it is by accident.
Example: My friend isn’t a doctor, but he correctly predicted that I had a hernia. I guess even a broken clock is right twice a day.
The phrase, even a broken clock is right twice a day, can be traced back to 1711. In a magazine called The Spectator Joseph Addison wrote about wearing the correct fashion:
If instead of running after the mode, they would continue fixed in one certain habit, the mode would come time or other overtake them, as a clock that stands still is sure to point right once in twelve hours.
Mechanical clocks were invented in the early 14th century. The first clocks only counted the hours of a day. The minute hand wasn’t invented until 1577 to help with stargazing. The first battery powered clock was produced in 1912.
I will end with a little piece of trivia. Big Ben (maybe the most famous clock) was built in 1908.
Do you have a clock in your house, or do you just use your phone, like me?
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Reference:
https://www.thoughtco.com/clock-and-calendar-history-1991475#:~:text=The%20first%20mechanical%20clocks%20were,day%20timekeeping%20pieces%20of%20today.
https://wordhistories.net/2021/04/22/stopped-clock-right-twice/