watch

¹watch

verb \ˈwäch, ˈwȯch\

Definition of WATCH

intransitive verb

1

a : to keep vigil as a devotional exercise

b : to be awake during the night

2

a : to be attentive or vigilant

b : to keep guard

3

a : to keep someone or something under close observation

b : to observe as a spectator <the country watched as stocks fell sharply>

4

: to be expectant : wait <watch for the signal>

transitive verb

1

: to keep under guard

2

a : to observe closely in order to check on action or change <being watched by the police>

b : to look at : observe <sat and watched the crowd>

c : to look on at <watch television> <watch a ball game>

3

a : to take care of : tend

b : to be careful of <watches his diet>

4

: to be on the alert for : bide <watched her opportunity>

— watch it

: look out : be careful <watch it when you handle the glassware>

— watch one's step

: to proceed with extreme care : act or talk warily

— watch over

: to have charge of : superintend

Examples of WATCH

1. They have a rookie on the team who is fun to watch.
2. I fell asleep watching television.
3. What movie are you watching?
4. “Mom, watch me do a cartwheel!”
5. She sat and watched the children play.
6. “Would you like to play, too?” “No, I'll just watch.”
7. Just sit back and watch.
8. Keep watching to see what happens next.
9. “What happens next?” “Watch and see.”
10. People are watching this presidential race very carefully.

Origin of WATCH

Middle English wacchen, from Old English wæccan — more at wake

First Known Use: before 12th century

Related to WATCH

Synonyms

eye, follow, observe, have one's eye on

Antonyms

disregard, ignore, tune out

Related Words

behold, look, perceive, regard, see, view; gape, gawk, gaze, glare, goggle, look on, peer, rubberneck, stare; guard, wake, ward; bird-dog, monitor, study; spy; espy, glance, glimpse, peek, peep

Near Antonyms

blink, wink

²watch

noun

Definition of WATCH

1

a : the act of keeping awake to guard, protect, or attend

b obsolete : the state of being wakeful

c : a wake over a dead body

d : a state of alert and continuous attention

e : close observation : surveillance

f : a notice or bulletin that alerts the public to the possibility of severe weather conditions occurring in the near future <a winter storm watch>

2

a : any of the definite divisions of the night made by ancient peoples

b : one of the indeterminate intervals marking the passage of night —usually used in plural <the silent watches of the night>

3

a : lookout, watchman

b archaic : the office or function of a sentinel or guard

4

a : a body of soldiers or sentinels making up a guard

b : a watchman or body of watchmen formerly assigned to patrol the streets of a town at night, announce the hours, and act as police

5

a (1) : a portion of time during which a part of a ship's company is on duty (2) : the part of a ship's company required to be on duty during a particular watch (3) : a sailor's assigned duty period

b : a period of duty : shift

c : a term as holder especially of an overseeing or managerial office <the business grew on her watch>

6

: a portable timepiece designed to be worn (as on the wrist) or carried in the pocket — compare clock

Examples of WATCH

1. He glanced at his watch.
2. When you're driving in winter you should always be on the watch for ice on the roads.

First Known Use of WATCH

before 12th century

Related to WATCH

Synonyms

custodian, guardian, keeper, lookout, minder, picket, sentinel, sentry, warden, warder, guard, watcher, watchman

Related Words

observer, patrol, spotter, surveillant, watchdog; bodyguard, convoy, defender, escort, honor guard; gatekeeper; hack [slang]

Near Antonyms

absentmindedness, abstraction, daydreaming, daze, distraction; absorption, engrossment, obliviousness, preoccupation; unawareness, unconsciousness; carelessness, heedlessness, inattention, inattentiveness, inobservance; unwariness

Other Climate/Meteorology Terms

monsoon, occlusion, ozone, rime, squall, zephyr

watch

noun    (Concise Encyclopedia)

Portable timepiece designed to be worn on the wrist or carried in the pocket. The first watches appeared shortly after 1500, when the mainspring (see spring) was invented as a replacement for weights in driving clocks. The progressive miniaturization of electronic components in recent decades has made possible the development of all-electronic watches, in which the necessary transistors, resistors, capacitors, and other elements are all on one or several miniature integrated circuits, or chips. Such circuitry enables them to perform several timekeeping functions and also makes possible digital readouts of the time.