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vigil

vigil

76 6.1
A time spent awake at night to pray, watch, or show support
  • noun
  • /ˈvɪdʒəl/
translation icon : vigilia
  • I'm glad you are holding vigil for him, Ian.
  • keep vigil
  • candlelight vigil
  • prayer vigil

Watchfulness, you might say, instances of being watchful, of keeping vigil.

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Examples

  • Only Lori remained awake to watch, to stand vigil, and pray until her father came.

    Fiction book (1991)
  • As her condition grew worse, he kept vigil at the hospital.

  • The two men kept the vigil, one on each side of the bed.

    Fiction book (1990)
  • I fear our vigil will not be of long duration.

  • And she sat there, keeping vigil, with her eyes clear and the tears falling like spring rain.

    Fiction book (1993)
  • A candlelight vigil to mark the one year anniversary of the crash of Flight 180 will be held at 8:00 P.M.

  • Mothers of political prisoners have also staged a continuing vigil and withstood a police attack in downtown Nairobi.

    Academic text (1992)
  • His family kept vigil near Spring, TX, and Sunday afternoon Alonzo Guillen's body floated past them.

    GQ
  • I'd also like to say thank you to all of those that are holding vigils worldwide, and they've worked their tails off to make this happen.

  • As her condition grew worse, he kept vigil at the hospital.

Synonyms

watch
vsvigil
442 4.2

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

is a voluntary night period of staying awake to pray or show support

Compounds

1 8.3

A small candle lit in a church before a statue or altar when someone prays

A small candle lit in a church for prayer or memory

How Long

vigil
76 6.1
watch
442 4.2

Surface Forms

vigil singular
vigils plural

Etymology

Vigil comes from the Latin vigilia, which meant 'wakefulness' or 'being awake'. It is the same root as vigilant, which means 'watchful', so a vigil is a time when people stay awake to watch, pray, or remember someone.