Watch

Watch, woch, n. act of looking out: close observation: guard: one who watches or those who watch: a sentry: a pocket timepiece: the place where a guard is kept: a division of the night: time of watching, esp. in a ship, a division of a ship's crew into two or three sections, so that one set of men may have charge of the vessel while the others rest. (The day and night are divided into watches of four hours each, except the period from 4 to 8 P.M., which is divided into two dog-watches of two hours' duration each).—v.i. to look with attention: to keep guard: to look out: to attend the sick by night: to inspect, keep guard over (with over).—v.t. to keep in view: to give heed to: to have in keeping: to guard: to wait for, detect by lying in wait: (Shak.) to keep from sleep.—ns. Watch′-bill, a list of the officers and crew of a ship, as divided into watches, with their several stations; Watch′-box, a sentry-box; Watch′case, the outer case of a watch: (Shak.) a sentry-box; Watch′-clock, a watchman's clock; Watch′-dog, a dog kept to guard premises and property; Watch′er, one who watches; Watch′-fire, a night-fire acting as a signal: a fire for the use of a watching-party, sentinels, scouts, &c.—adj. Watch′ful, careful to watch or observe: attentive: circumspect: cautious.—adv. Watch′fully.—ns. Watch′fulness; Watch′-glass, a sand-glass: the glass covering of the face of a watch; Watch′-guard, a watch-chain of any material; Watch′-gun, a gun fired at the changing of the watch, as on a ship; Watch′-house, a house in which a guard is placed: a lock-up, detaining office; Watch′-jew′el, a jewel used in the works of a watch for lessening friction; Watch′-key, a key for winding a watch; Watch′-light, a light used for watching or sitting up in the night; Watch′-māk′er, one who makes and repairs watches; Watch′-māk′ing; Watch′man, a man who watches or guards, esp. the streets of a city at night; Watch′-meet′ing, a religious meeting to welcome in the New Year, held on the night before, called the Watch′-night; Watch′-off′icer, the officer in charge of the ship during a watch, also called Officer of the watch; Watch′-pā′per, a round piece of paper, often decorated, put inside the outer case of a watch to prevent rubbing; Watch′-pock′et, a small pocket for holding a watch; Watch′-spring, the mainspring of a watch; Watch′-tow′er, a tower on which a sentinel is placed to watch or keep guard against the approach of an enemy; Watch′word, the password to be given to a watch or sentry: any signal: a maxim, rallying-cry.—Watch and ward, the old custom of watching by night and by day in towns and cities: uninterrupted vigilance.—The Black Watch, the 42d and 73d Regiments, now the 1st and 2d Battalions of the Black Watch or Royal Highlanders. [A.S. wæcce—wacan, wake.]