Webster's English Dictionary

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watch

Cross references:
  1. see                   
 
1. watch \'wa:ch\ vb [ME wacchen, fr. OE wccan - more at WAKE] 1a: to 
   keep vigil as a devotional exercise  1b: to be awake during the night  2a: 
   to be attentive or vigilant  2b: to keep guard  3a: to keep someone or 
   something under close observation  3b: to observe as a spectator  4: to be 
   expectant : WAIT  1: to keep under guard  2a: to observe closely in order 
   to check on action or change  2b: to look at : OBSERVE  2c: to look on at  
   3a: to take care of : TEND  3b: to be careful of {~es his diet}  4: to be 
   on the alert for : BIDE 
2. watch n 1a: the act of keeping awake to guard, protect, or attend  obs  
   1b: WAKEFULNESS  1c: WAKE  1d: a state of alert and continuous attention  
   1e: close observation : SURVEILLANCE  2a: any of the definite divisions of 
   the night made by ancient peoples  2b: one of the indeterminate wakeful 
   intervals marking the passage of night  - usu. used in pl. 3a: one that 
   watches : LOOKOUT, WATCHMAN  archaic  3b: the office or function of a 
   sentinel or guard  4a: a body of soldiers or sentinels making up a guard  
   4b: a watchman or body of watchmen formerly assigned to patrol the streets  
   of a town at night, announce the hours, and act as police 5a1: a portion of 
   time during which a part of a ship's company is on duty  5a2: the part of a 
   ship's company required to be on duty during a particula r watch 5a3: a 
   sailor's assigned duty period  5b: a period of duty : SHIFT  6a: a portable 
   timepiece having a spring-driven movement and designed to be  worn (as on 
   the wrist) or carried in the pocket 6b: a ship's chronometer