clocks

   Processor  logic cycles, so called because each generally corresponds
   to  one clock pulse in the processor's timing. The relative execution
   times  of  instructions  on a machine are usually discussed in clocks
   rather  than absolute fractions of a second; one good reason for this
   is  that  clock speeds for various models of the machine may increase
   as  technology  improves, and it is usually the relative times one is
   interested  in  when discussing the instruction set. Compare {cycle},
   {jiffy}.

[glossary]