grammar - Why is "a" missing in "running like clockwork"


I would like to know why the idiom "running like clockwork" is not written as "running like a clockwork"? Is there some common rule that explains this?


I am asking this question since I am not sure that this word is a mass noun, see here: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Clockwork



Answer



'Clockwork' is a mass noun, like 'water'. A clock does not have 'a clockwork' is just has 'clockwork' (like a river has 'water' not 'a water').


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