1. The internal mechanism of a clock, consisting of gears, springs, and other parts that work together to measure and display time.
Usage: Usually used in plural form; Can refer to the mechanism of a single clock or multiple clocks
2. Any complex system or mechanism with many precisely coordinated moving parts.
Usage: Figurative use; Often used metaphorically to describe intricate systems

Examples

• The antique clock's clockworks were made entirely of brass and steel.
• A skilled watchmaker can repair the delicate clockworks inside a pocket watch.
• The city's public transportation system runs like clockworks, with trains arriving exactly on schedule.
• She opened the back of the clock to examine the intricate clockworks.
• The clockworks of the old grandfather clock had not been serviced in decades.
• The organization's clockworks were disrupted when the manager suddenly resigned.