watch
442
4.2
- noun
- /wɑtʃ/
:
guardia
- I promised to keep watch.
- keep watch
- stand watch
- a close watch
He fell asleep on watch in the woods of Virginia.
- He fell asleep on watch in the woods of Virginia.
- And now I'm laying here on choke watch making sure she don't choke all night.
Examples
-
Mr. Wilkinson, you will keep watch over Miss Mary Owens.
-
We'll all take turns keeping watch all night.
-
Set a watch on the main highway.
-
Only the harbor watch was aboard when the fire started.
-
We agreed you'd keep watch on the boy.
-
Many times I've spent the night on watch so that you could sleep soundly.
-
Harrow kept watch, but by dawn he hadn't arrived.
-
The colonists, for example, stood regular watch duty, with each man's turn coming every fifth night.
Academic text (2011) -
The soldiers took turns on watch to ensure that the camp was secure throughout the night.
-
During the nighttime watch, they spotted a strange light in the distance.
Synonyms
526
6.2
Careful, continuous watching of people or places by the police
179
1.0
A time when someone watches and protects a place or people
76
6.1
A time spent awake at night to pray, watch, or show support
29
2.7
Watching carefully for danger or for something expected
11
2.3
Careful, constant watching of people or things to notice problems
5
6.1
A person who stands outside a camp to watch for enemy movement
4
4.7
A time when people guard a place at night
1
3.7
A team of workers who work during the day, usually from 8 am to 4 pm
A time when someone keeps listening on a radio for important messages
Idioms
- Informal
2
4.6
To spend time looking at people and things happening around you without taking part
A humorous saying men use to remember important things before leaving the house
Compounds
- Specialized
Keeping a radio on all the time to listen for important messages
- Specialized
A time when someone keeps listening on a radio for important messages
- Specialized
The time on a ship from midnight to four in the morning when crew are on duty
- Jargon
A late-night work shift from midnight to early morning on ships or in factories
- Specialized
A shallow round glass dish used in labs to let liquids dry or to cover a beaker
- Archaic
A small metal key with a square hole used to wind old pocket devices that tell time
How Long
Surface Forms
Etymology
Watch The noun for a guard's shift or time on duty comes from the old word wæccan meaning 'a time of being awake'. So a 'watch' is a time when people stay awake to guard or look out.