Skip to main content
Glite Dictionary
⚓ Off duty 👀 Unwatched ⌚ No watch worn
watchless

watchless

8.9
Not on duty to stand guard on a ship
  • adjective
  • /ˈwɑːtʃləs/
  • Archaic
translation icon : sin vigilancia
  • After his shift ended, he was finally watchless and could relax in his cabin.

Examples

  • The watchless crew members gathered in the mess hall to enjoy their free time.

  • Being watchless for the evening, she took the opportunity to write a letter home.

  • The ship was watchless during the night.

  • Being watchless can lead to serious consequences.

  • After a long day of sailing, the crew was watchless and could finally enjoy some leisure time on deck.

  • With the sun setting over the horizon, the watchless sailors shared stories around the fire.

  • While the rest of the crew stood on watch, he felt grateful to be watchless and free from duty for the night.

Synonyms

unmonitored
vswatchless
2 4.6

No one watches or checks it

is about lacking a duty assignment in nautical or military contexts
unwatched
vswatchless
1 3.9

Without anyone watching or looking after it

is about not having an assigned duty to look out for others
guardless
vswatchless
7.9

Not protected and open to danger

is specifically about not being assigned to duty to look out for others

Antonyms

watch
442 4.2

A time when people stay awake to guard or look for danger

Surface Forms

watchless positive

Morphology

watchless = watch (semi-transparent) = watch + less

Formed from 'watch' + '-less', but the specific nautical/military sense of 'watch' (a duty or shift) may not be familiar to all learners, making exact interpretation uncertain.

Etymology

Watchless comes from watch ('a period of guard duty') and the ending -less ('without'). On a ship or in the military, being watchless means you are 'without a watch', which means you are off duty and free to rest.