watch
488
4.2
- noun
- /wɑtʃ/
- I promised to keep watch.
- keep watch
- stand watch
- a close watch
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Watch on YouTubeHe 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
628
6.2
Careful, continuous watching of people or places by the police
91
1.0
A time when someone watches and protects a place or people
88
2.7
Watching carefully for danger or for something expected
77
6.1
A time spent awake at night to pray, watch, or show support
13
2.3
Careful, constant watching of people or things to notice problems
8
4.7
A time when people guard a place at night
2
6.1
A person who stands outside a camp to watch for enemy movement
1
3.7
A team of workers who work during the day, usually from 8 am to 4 pm
1
7.6
A time when someone keeps listening on a radio for important messages
Idioms
10
3.0
Look at a person or thing very carefully for a while to notice problems
- 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
- Archaic
1
9.0
A small metal key with a square hole used to wind old pocket devices that tell time
- Specialized
1
9.5
The time on a ship from midnight to four in the morning when crew are on duty
- Jargon
1
7.4
A late-night work shift from midnight to early morning on ships or in factories
- Specialized
1
7.6
A time when someone keeps listening on a radio for important messages
- Specialized
1
5.5
A shallow round glass dish used in labs to let liquids dry or to cover a beaker
- Specialized
Keeping a radio on all the time to listen for important messages
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.