watch
Definition from Wiktionary, the free dictionary
Contents |
English [edit]
Pronunciation [edit]
Etymology 1 [edit]
As a noun, from Middle English wacche, from Old English wæċċe. See below for verb form.
Noun [edit]
watch (plural watches)
- A portable or wearable timepiece.
- More people today carry a watch on their wrists than in their pockets.
- A particular time period when guarding is kept.
- The second watch of the night began at midnight.
- A person or group of people who guard.
- The watch stopped the travelers at the city gates.
- (nautical) A group of sailors and officers aboard a ship or shore station with a common period of duty: starboard watch, port watch.
- (nautical) A period of time on duty, usually four hours in length; the officers and crew who tend the working of a vessel during the same watch. (FM 55–501).
- The act of seeing, or viewing, for a period of time.
- 2004, Charles P. Nemeth, Criminal law
- A quick watch of Stanley Kubrick's Clockwork Orange sends this reality home fast. Amoral, vacuous, cold-blooded, unsympathetic, and chillingly evil describe only parts of the story.
- 2004, Charles P. Nemeth, Criminal law
Derived terms [edit]
Terms derived from the noun "watch"
Translations [edit]
portable or wearable timepiece
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particular time period
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person or group of people who guard
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group of sailors and officers
period of time on duty
- The translations below need to be checked and inserted above into the appropriate translation tables, removing any numbers. Numbers do not necessarily match those in definitions. See instructions at Help:How to check translations.
Translations to be checked
Etymology 2 [edit]
As a verb, from Middle English wacchen, from Old English wæċċan (from the same root as its synonym and doublet wacian, which lead to wake in modern English), ultimately from Proto-Germanic *wakōną, *wakjaną. Cognate with West Frisian weitsje (“to wake, watch”), Dutch waken (“to wake, watch”), German wachen (“to wake, watch”).
Verb [edit]
watch (third-person singular simple present watches, present participle watching, simple past and past participle watched)
- (obsolete, intransitive) To be awake.
- 1485, Thomas Malory, Le Morte Darthur, Book X:
- So on the morne Sir Trystram, Sir Gareth and Sir Dynadan arose early and went unto Sir Palomydes chambir, and there they founde hym faste aslepe, for he had all nyght wacched [...].
- 1485, Thomas Malory, Le Morte Darthur, Book X:
- (transitive) To look at, see, or view for a period of time.
- Watching the clock will not make time go faster.
- I'm tired of watching TV.
- (transitive) To observe over a period of time; to notice or pay attention.
- Watch this!
- Put a little baking soda in some vinegar and watch what happens.
- (transitive) To mind, attend, or guard.
- Please watch my suitcase for a minute.
- He has to watch the kids that afternoon.
- (transitive) To be wary or cautious of.
- You should watch that guy. He has a reputation for lying.
- (transitive) To attend to dangers to or regarding.
- Watch your head.; Watch your step.
- Watch yourself when you talk to him.
- Watch what you say.
- (intransitive) To remain awake with a sick or dying person; to maintain a vigil
- (intransitive) To be vigilant or on one's guard
- For some must watch, while some must sleep: So runs the world away.
- (intransitive) To act as a lookout
Usage notes [edit]
- When used transitively to mean look at something, there is an implication that the direct object is something which is capable of changing.
Antonyms [edit]
Derived terms [edit]
Terms derived from the verb "watch"
Translations [edit]
to look at for a period of time
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to observe
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to attend or guard
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to be wary
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- The translations below need to be checked and inserted above into the appropriate translation tables, removing any numbers. Numbers do not necessarily match those in definitions. See instructions at Help:How to check translations.
Translations to be checked
