D defs.my
Menu ☰
Entry 13 senses · 3 variants Webster, 1913

Watch

/(wŏch)/ · IPA /ˈwɑt͡ʃ/
01 n. The act of watching; forbearance of sleep; vigil; wakeful, vigilant, or constantly observant attention; close observation; guard; preservat…
  1. 1.
    The act of watching; forbearance of sleep; vigil; wakeful, vigilant, or constantly observant attention; close observation; guard; preservative or preventive vigilance; formerly, a watching or guarding by night.
    “Shepherds keeping watch by night.” — Milton.
    “All the long night their mournful watch they keep.” — Addison.
    “Still, when she slept, he kept both watch and ward.” — Spenser.
    “Ward, guard, or custodia, is chiefly applied to the daytime, in order to apprehend rioters, and robbers on the highway . . . Watch, is properly applicable to the night only, . . . and it begins when ward ends, and ends when that begins.” — Blackstone.
  2. 2.
    One who watches, or those who watch; a watchman, or a body of watchmen; a sentry; a guard.
    “Pilate said unto them, Ye have a watch; go your way, make it as sure as ye can.” — Matt. xxvii. 65.
  3. 3.
    The post or office of a watchman; also, the place where a watchman is posted, or where a guard is kept.
    “He upbraids Iago, that he made him Brave me upon the watch.” — Shak.
  4. 4.
    The period of the night during which a person does duty as a sentinel, or guard; the time from the placing of a sentinel till his relief; hence, a division of the night.
    “I did stand my watch upon the hill.” — Shak.
    “Might we but hear . . . Or whistle from the lodge, or village cock Count the night watches to his feathery dames.” — Milton.
  5. 5.
    A small timepiece, or chronometer, to be carried about the person, the machinery of which is moved by a spring.
  6. 6.
    An allotted portion of time, usually four hour for standing watch, or being on deck ready for duty. Cf. Dogwatch.(Naut.) See: Dogwatch
Phrases & compounds
Anchor watch — a detail of one or more men who keep watch on deck when a vessel is at anchor.
To be on the watch — to be looking steadily for some event.
Watch and ward — the charge or care of certain officers to keep a watch by night and a guard by day in towns, cities, and other districts, for the preservation of the public peace.
Watch and watch — the regular alternation in being on watch and off watch of the two watches into which a ship's crew is commonly divided.
Watch barrel — the brass box in a watch, containing the mainspring.
Watch bell — a bell struck when the half-hour glass is run out, or at the end of each half hour.
Watch bill — a list of the officers and crew of a ship as divided into watches, with their stations.
Watch case — the case, or outside covering, of a watch; also, a case for holding a watch, or in which it is kept.
Watch chain — Same as watch guard, below.
Watch clock — a watchman's clock; see under Watchman.
Watch fire — a fire lighted at night, as a signal, or for the use of a watch or guard.
Watch glass — A concavo-convex glass for covering the face, or dial, of a watch; -- also called watch crystal.
Watch guard — a chain or cord by which a watch is attached to the person.
Watch gun — a gun sometimes fired on shipboard at 8 p. m., when the night watch begins.
Watch light — a low-burning lamp used by watchers at night; formerly, a candle having a rush wick.
Watch night — The last night of the year; -- so called by the Methodists, Moravians, and others, who observe it by holding religious meetings lasting until after midnight.
Watch paper — an old-fashioned ornament for the inside of a watch case, made of paper cut in some fanciful design, as a vase with flowers, etc.
Watch tackle — a small, handy purchase, consisting of a tailed double block, and a single block with a hook.
02 v. i. To be awake; to be or continue without sleep; to wake; to keep vigil.
  1. 1.
    To be awake; to be or continue without sleep; to wake; to keep vigil.
    “I have two nights watched with you.” — Shak.
    “Couldest thou not watch one hour ?” — Mark xiv. 37.
  2. 2.
    To be attentive or vigilant; to give heed; to be on the lookout; to keep guard; to act as sentinel.
    “Take ye heed, watch and pray.” — Mark xiii. 33.
    “The Son gave signal high To the bright minister that watched.” — Milton.
  3. 3.
    To be expectant; to look with expectation; to wait; to seek opportunity.
    “My soul waiteth for the Lord more than they that watch for the morning.” — Ps. cxxx. 6.
  4. 4.
    To remain awake with any one as nurse or attendant; to attend on the sick during the night; as, to watch with a man in a fever.
  5. 5.
    To serve the purpose of a watchman by floating properly in its place; -- said of a buoy.(Naut.)
Phrases & compounds
To watch over — to be cautiously observant of; to inspect, superintend, and guard.
03 v. t. To give heed to; to observe the actions or motions of, for any purpose; to keep in view; not to lose from sight and observation; as, to wat…
imp. & p. p. Watched; p. pr. & vb. n. Watching
  1. 1.
    To give heed to; to observe the actions or motions of, for any purpose; to keep in view; not to lose from sight and observation; as, to watch the progress of a bill in the legislature.
    “Saul also sent messengers unto David's house to watch him, and to slay him.” — 1 Sam. xix. 11
    “I must cool a little, and watch my opportunity.” — Landor.
    “In lazy mood I watched the little circles die.” — Longfellow.
  2. 2.
    To tend; to guard; to have in keeping.
    “And flaming ministers, to watch and tend Their earthy charge.” — Milton.
    “Paris watched the flocks in the groves of Ida.” — Broome.