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watch |
5 definitions found From Webster's Revised Unabridged Dictionary (1913) [web1913]: Watch \Watch\ (w[o^]ch), n. [OE. wacche AS w[ae]cce, fr wacian to wake; akin to D. wacht, waak, G. wacht, wache. [root]134. See {Wake}, v. i. ] 1. The act of watching; forbearance of sleep; vigil; wakeful, vigilant, or constantly observant attention; close observation; guard; preservative or preventive vigilance; formerly, a watching or guarding by night. Shepherds keeping watch by night. --Milton. All the long night their mournful watch they keep --Addison. Note: Watch was formerly distinguished from ward, the former signifying a watching or guarding by night, and the latter a watching, guarding, or protecting by day Hence they were not unfrequently used together, especially in the phrase to keep watch and ward, to denote continuous and uninterrupted vigilance or protection, or both watching and guarding. This distinction is now rarely recognized, watch being used to signify a watching or guarding both by night and by day and ward, which is now rarely used having simply the meaning of guard, or protection, without reference to time. Still when she slept, he kept both watch and ward. --Spenser. Ward, guard, or custodia, is chiefly applied to the daytime, in order to apprehend rioters, and robbers on the highway . . . Watch, is properly applicable to the night only, . . . and it begins when ward ends and ends when that begins. --Blackstone. 2. One who watches, or those who watch; a watchman, or a body of watchmen; a sentry; a guard. Pilate said unto them Ye have a watch; go your way make it as sure as ye can. --Matt. xxvii. 65. 3. The post or office of a watchman; also the place where a watchman is posted, or where a guard is kept. He upbraids Iago, that he made him Brave me upon the watch. --Shak. 4. The period of the night during which a person does duty as a sentinel, or guard; the time from the placing of a sentinel till his relief; hence a division of the night. I did stand my watch upon the hill. --Shak. Might we but hear . . . Or whistle from the lodge, or village cock Count the night watches to his feathery dames. --Milton. 5. A small timepiece, or chronometer, to be carried about the person, the machinery of which is moved by a spring. From Webster's Revised Unabridged Dictionary (1913) [web1913]: Watch \Watch\, v. i. [Cf. AS w[oe]ccan, wacian. [root]134. See {Watch}, n., {Wake}, v. i. ] 1. To be awake; to be or continue without sleep; to wake; to keep vigil. I have two nights watched with you --Shak. Couldest thou not watch one hour ? --Mark xiv. 37. 2. To be attentive or vigilant; to give heed; to be on the lookout; to keep guard; to act as sentinel. Take ye heed, watch and pray. --Mark xiii. 33. The Son gave signal high To the bright minister that watched. --Milton. 3. To be expectant; to look with expectation; to wait; to seek opportunity. My soul waiteth for the Lord more than they that watch for the morning. --Ps. cxxx. 6. 4. To remain awake with any one as nurse or attendant; to attend on the sick during the night; as to watch with a man in a fever. 5. (Naut.) To serve the purpose of a watchman by floating properly in its place -- said of a buoy. {To watch over}, to be cautiously observant of to inspect, superintend, and guard. From Webster's Revised Unabridged Dictionary (1913) [web1913]: Watch \Watch\, v. t. [imp. & p. p. {Watched}; p. pr & vb n. {Watching}.] 1. To give heed to to observe the actions or motions of for any purpose; to keep in view; not to lose from sight and observation; as to watch the progress of a bill in the legislature. Saul also sent messengers unto David's house to watch him and to slay him --1 Sam. xix. 11 I must cool a little, and watch my opportunity. --Landor. In lazy mood I watched the little circles die. --Longfellow. 2. To tend; to guard; to have in keeping. And flaming ministers, to watch and tend Their earthy charge. --Milton. Paris watched the flocks in the groves of Ida. --Broome. From Webster's Revised Unabridged Dictionary (1913) [web1913]: Alarm \A*larm"\ ([.a]*l[aum]rm"), n. [F. alarme, It all' arme to arms ! fr L. arma, pl., arms. See {Arms}, and cf {Alarum}.] 1. A summons to arms, as on the approach of an enemy. Arming to answer in a night alarm. --Shak. 2. Any sound or information intended to give notice of approaching danger; a warning sound to arouse attention; a warning of danger. Sound an alarm in my holy mountain. --Joel ii 1. 3. A sudden attack; disturbance; broil. [R.] ``These home alarms.'' --Shak. Thy palace fill with insults and alarms. --Pope. 4. Sudden surprise with fear or terror excited by apprehension of danger; in the military use commonly, sudden apprehension of being attacked by surprise. Alarm and resentment spread throughout the camp. --Macaulay. 5. A mechanical contrivance for awaking persons from sleep, or rousing their attention; an alarum. {Alarm bell}, a bell that gives notice on danger. {Alarm clock} or {watch}, a clock or watch which can be so set as to ring or strike loudly at a prearranged hour, to wake from sleep, or excite attention. {Alarm gauge}, a contrivance attached to a steam boiler for showing when the pressure of steam is too high, or the water in the boiler too low {Alarm post}, a place to which troops are to repair in case of an alarm. Syn: Fright; affright; terror; trepidation; apprehension; consternation; dismay; agitation; disquiet; disquietude. Usage: {Alarm}, {Fright}, {Terror}, {Consternation}. These words express different degrees of fear at the approach of danger. Fright is fear suddenly excited, producing confusion of the senses and hence it is unreflecting Alarm is the hurried agitation of feeling which springs from a sense of immediate and extreme exposure. Terror is agitating and excessive fear, which usually benumbs the faculties. Consternation is overwhelming fear, and carries a notion of powerlessness and amazement. Alarm agitates the feelings; terror disorders the understanding and affects the will fright seizes on and confuses the sense consternation takes possession of the soul, and subdues its faculties. See {Apprehension}. From WordNet r 1.6 [wn]: watch n 1: a small portable timepiece [syn: {ticker}] 2: a period of time (4 or 2 hours) during which some of a ship's crew are on duty 3: a purposeful surveillance to guard or observe [syn: {vigil}] 4: the period during which someone (especially a guard) is on duty 5: a person employed to watch for something to happen [syn: {lookout}, {lookout man}, {sentinel}, {sentry}, {scout}, {picket}] 6: a devotional watch (especially on the eve of a religious festival) [syn: {vigil}] v 1: look attentively; "watch a basketball game" 2: follow with the eyes or the mind; "Keep an eye on the baby, please!"; "The world is watching Sarajevo"; "She followed the men with the binoculars" [syn: {observe}, {follow}, {watch over}, {keep an eye on}] 3: see or watch; "view a show on television"; "This program will be seen all over the world"; "view an exhibition"; "Catch a show on Brodaway" [syn: {view}, {see}, {catch}, {take in}] 4: observe with attention; "They watched as the murderer was executed" [syn: {look on}] 5: be vigilant, be on the lookout, be on one's guard, be careful; "Watch out for pickpockets!" [syn: {look out}, {watch out}] 6: check, try or ascertain; "See whether it works!" [syn: {see}] 7: find out or learn with certainty; "I want to see whether she speaks French"; "See whether it works"; "Watch how he will react" [syn: {determine}, {check}, {find out}, {see}, {ascertain}, {learn}]
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