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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. |
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One who watches, or those who watch; a watchman, or a
body of watchmen; a sentry; a guard. |
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The post or office of a watchman; also, the place where a
watchman is posted, or where a guard is kept. |
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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. |
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A small timepiece, or chronometer, to be carried about
the person, the machinery of which is moved by a spring. |
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An allotted portion of time, usually four hour for standing
watch, or being on deck ready for duty. Cf. Dogwatch. |
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That part, usually one half, of the officers and crew, who
together attend to the working of a vessel for an allotted time,
usually four hours. The watches are designated as the port watch, and
the starboard watch. |
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To be awake; to be or continue without sleep; to wake; to
keep vigil. |
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To be attentive or vigilant; to give heed; to be on the
lookout; to keep guard; to act as sentinel. |
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To be expectant; to look with expectation; to wait; to
seek opportunity. |
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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. |
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To serve the purpose of a watchman by floating properly
in its place; -- said of a buoy. |
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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. |
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To tend; to guard; to have in keeping. |