clockwork / movement
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movement
The inner mechanism of a clock or watch, consisting of gears, springs, and other parts, which moves the hands.
Der Uhrmacher musste das alte Uhrwerk komplett zerlegen, um es zu reparieren.
The watchmaker had to completely take apart the old movement in order to repair it.
The word is made up of 'die Uhr' (clock/watch) and 'das Werk' (work/mechanism). Here, 'Werk' does not only mean 'work', but also 'mechanism' or 'complex construction'. So an Uhrwerk is literally the mechanism of a clock or watch.
Ein gutes mechanisches Uhrwerk ist ein Meisterstück der Technik.
A good mechanical movement is a masterpiece of engineering.
The expression 'funktionieren wie ein Uhrwerk' (to function like clockwork) or 'laufen wie ein Uhrwerk' (to run like clockwork) is used to describe a process or system that runs extremely precisely, punctually, and reliably.
Die Organisation des Festivals lief wie ein Uhrwerk.
The organization of the festival ran like clockwork.
You can recognize the literal meaning from words like 'Uhr' (clock/watch), 'Uhrmacher' (watchmaker/clockmaker), or 'reparieren' (to repair). The figurative meaning is always used in connection with abstract systems like 'Organisation' (organization), 'Logistik' (logistics), or 'Team' (team).
Der Uhrmacher kennt jedes Detail des Uhrwerks.
The watchmaker knows every detail of the movement.
In the literal sense, 'Uhrwerk' is often combined with verbs like 'reparieren' (to repair), 'reinigen' (to clean), 'aufziehen' (to wind, for mechanical clocks/watches), or 'zerlegen' (to take apart).
Man muss das Uhrwerk der alten Standuhr einmal pro Woche aufziehen.
You have to wind the movement of the old grandfather clock once a week.
clock / watch
'die Uhr' and 'das Uhrwerk' are closely related, but they do not mean the same thing. 'die Uhr' is the whole device that shows the time, for example on a wall or on your wrist. You also use 'Uhr' with a number when giving an exact time. 'das Uhrwerk' is only the inner mechanism of a clock or watch, the part that moves the hands. Figuratively, 'Uhrwerk' can also mean a system that functions very precisely. The words can be confused because both have to do with time and clocks or watches. As a practical rule: you look at 'die Uhr', but a watchmaker repairs 'das Uhrwerk'.
Das Uhrwerk ist kaputt, deshalb bewegen sich die Zeiger nicht mehr.
The movement is broken, so the hands no longer move.
Im Flur hängt eine alte Uhr, die jede Stunde schlägt.
There is an old clock hanging in the hallway that strikes every hour.