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regular

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on a regular basis

Quite often and/or in a consistent, regular manner. The general manager drops into the restaurant on a regular basis, so the staff members have to be on their toes at all times.

See also: basis, on, regular

regular brick

A good-natured, dependable man. Oh, Earl will certainly help you with that—he's a regular brick.

See also: brick, regular

at regular intervals

At an equal distance apart. Make sure to position those Christmas lights so that the flashing ones appear at regular intervals.

See also: interval, regular

be as regular as clockwork

To happen at predictable intervals. My daughter starts crying every night at bedtime—it's as regular as clockwork.

See also: clockwork, regular

at regular intervals

[of things in a series] at points that are equally distant from each other. You will find service stations at regular intervals along the highway. There are street lights at regular intervals on the main street of town.

See also: interval, regular

*regular as clockwork

Cliché very regular; completely predictable. (*Also: as ~.) George goes down to the bus stop at 7:45 every morning, as regular as clockwork. You can always depend on Nancy to complain about the office for fifteen minutes every afternoon, regular as clockwork.

See also: clockwork, regular

regular fixture

someone who is found so frequently in a place as to be considered a fixture of, or part of the place. The manager attached himself to the luncheon club and became a regular fixture there.

See also: regular

regular guy

a normal and dependable guy. Don't worry about Tom. He's a regular guy. He won't give you any trouble.

See also: guy, regular

like clockwork

1. at regular times I change my car's oil like clockwork every 3,000 miles.

2. without problems Most of the performance went like clockwork, but there were a few little things that weren't perfect.

See also: clockwork, like

like clockwork

if something happens like clockwork, it happens at regular times He arrived at 7 every evening, like clockwork.

See also: clockwork, like

be as regular as clockwork

if something is as regular as clockwork, it happens at exactly regular times Her letters arrived every week, regular as clockwork.

See also: clockwork, regular

like clockwork

Also, regular as clockwork. With extreme regularity, as in Ruth arrives every Wednesday morning just like clockwork, or You can count on his schedule, which is regular as clockwork, or Their assembly line runs like clockwork. This idiom alludes to the mechanical and therefore very regular action of a clock. [Second half of 1600s]

See also: clockwork, like

regular guy

Also, regular fellow. A nice or agreeable person, as in Luke's a regular guy, or Hilda's a regular fellow. [Colloquial; first half of 1800s]

See also: guy, regular

like clockwork

With machinelike regularity and precision; perfectly: The project proceeded like clockwork.

See also: clockwork, like