close watch
- noun
- The teacher kept a close watch on her students during the exam to prevent cheating.
- keep a close watch
I keep a close watch on this heart of mine.
- I keep a close watch on this heart of mine.
Examples
-
Bells signaled the appropriate times for students to wake, eat, attend chapel, and move about campus; and administrators, dorm matrons, and resident faculty kept close watch over students' comings and goings.
Academic text (2008) -
Better keep a close watch on your daughters.
-
We're keeping a close watch on her.
-
Do they keep a pretty close watch on the kids?
-
Local authorities would keep a close watch on what is said in the paper.
Academic text (2005) -
So, let's keep a close watch on her.
-
Since then, the park mothers have kept an extra close watch on their boys.
-
We'll need everyone to keep a close watch on the sun while we evacuate.
-
Once the machine gets going, it's essential to keep a close watch on the gauges.
Academic text (2000) -
As a long-time supporter of SPLC, I'm very glad you are keeping a close watch on the hate groups.
Blog text (8)
Synonyms
The act of watching something to learn about it
A close, careful look at something to find mistakes or problems
Regular checking and recording of something to see how it changes
A state of watching and staying ready for danger
Watching carefully for danger or for something expected
Careful attention to danger or problems to keep people safe
Looking at something carefully for some time to notice changes
Antonyms
How Close
- Specialized
- Archaic
Surface Forms
Morphology
The phrase is a straightforward adjective+noun composition: 'close' (here: near/intense/careful) modifies 'watch' (to observe), so the sense 'continuous and careful observation' follows directly from the constituents. This is a common, compositional pattern found across languages, so a B1 learner who knows both words would readily infer the MWE meaning.
Etymology
Close watch paints a simple picture: someone staying very near and looking carefully, with close meaning 'near' and watch meaning 'to look'. That's why it means 'continuous and careful observation'.