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Glite Dictionary
to stand watch

to stand watch

16 3.4
To stay awake and guard people or a place
  • phrasal verb
  • /stænd wɑtʃ/
  • Jargon
: hacer guardia
  • Babe and I will stand watch until it's light enough to get an early start.
  • guards stand watch
  • police officers stand watch
  • soldiers stood watch

And it was the Malden Police chief who personally stood watch that first night.

Examples

Synonyms

to look after
vsto stand watch
455 1.1

Take care of someone or something to keep them safe and working

focuses on holding a duty position mainly to prevent harm rather than care
to keep an eye on
vsto stand watch
  • Informal
432 2.4

To watch someone or something carefully to make sure nothing bad happens

is more about an assigned protective duty than casual observation
to look out for
vsto stand watch
356 3.0

Watch carefully to notice danger or help someone

is a specific assigned security role rather than general alertness
to watch over
vsto stand watch
155 2.3

To look after someone or something to keep them safe

is narrower as an assigned protective duty rather than general supervision
to keep watch
vsto stand watch
83 3.1

To stay alert and watch for danger or trouble

focuses on the general act of remaining on duty for protection
to stand guard
vsto stand watch
34 3.2

To stay in one place and watch to protect someone or something

is the general act of remaining on duty rather than a fixed post
to keep guard
vsto stand watch
22 3.1

To stay and watch to protect people or a place

is the same duty described more broadly as staying alert and present
to keep a close watch
vsto stand watch
10 3.0

Look at a person or thing very carefully for a while to notice problems

is about being on duty to prevent harm rather than only observing
to stand sentinel
vsto stand watch
  • Literature
1 7.0

To watch and guard a place or person

is a regular protective duty without the ceremonial or military sense

Antonyms

to neglect
189 3.8

Fail to care for someone or something you should look after

to desert
92 4.2

To leave people or a place when you are needed

How Watchful

to guard
386 1.0
to patrol
126 3.5
to stand watch
  • Jargon
16 3.4
to keep an eye on
  • Informal
432 2.4
to observe
605 2.4

Surface Forms

stand watch infinitive
standing watch present participle
stands watch third person singular
stood watch past
stood watch past participle

Morphology

stand + watch

The meaning 'to remain on duty as a guard' follows directly from combining 'stand' (to remain in place/on duty) with 'watch' (a period or duty of guarding). This verb + noun composition is a regular, cross-linguistically common pattern (e.g. 'stand guard', 'keep watch') and is therefore immediately inferable by a B1 learner who knows both constituent senses.

Etymology

Stand watch comes from the simple image of someone standing in one place and keeping watch, staying awake to look for danger or enemies. That's why it means 'to remain on duty as a guard'.