WATCH, n. [It is from the same root as wake, which see.]

1. Forbearance of sleep.
2. Attendance without sleep. All the long night their mournful watch they keep. – Addison.
3. Attention; close observation. Keep watch of the suspected man.
4. Guard; vigilance for keeping or protecting against danger. He kept both watch and ward. – – Spenser.
5. A watchman or watchmen; men set for a guard, either one person or more, set to espy the approach of an enemy or other danger, and to give an alarm or notice of such danger; a sentinel; a guard. He kept a watch at the gate. – Bacon. Ye have a watch; go your way, make it as sure as ye can. – Matth. xxvii.
6. The place where a guard is kept. He upbraids Iago, that he made him / Brave me upon the watch. – Shak.
7. Post or office of a watchman. As I did stand my watch upon the hill. – Shak.
8. A period of the night, in which one person or one set of persons stand as sentinels; or the time from one relief of sentinels to another. This period, among the Israelites, seems to have been originally four hours, but was afterward three hours, and there were four watches during the night. Hence we read in Scripture of the morning watch, and of the second, third, and fourth watch; the evening, watch commencing at six o'clock, the second at nine, the third at twelve, and the fourth at three in the morning. – Exod. xiv. Matth. xiv. Luke xii.
9. A small time-piece or chronometer, to be carried in the pocket or about the person, in which the machinery is moved by a spring.
10. At sea, the space of time during which one set or division of the crew remain on deck to perform the necessary duties. This is different in different nations. – Cyc. To be on the watch, to be looking steadily for some event.

1. To be awake; to be or continue without sleep. I have two nights watch'd with you. – Shak.
2. To be attentive; to look with attention or steadiness. Watch and see when the man passes.
3. To look with expectation. My soul waiteth for the Lord more than they that watch for the morning. – Ps. cxxx.
4. To keep guard; to act as sentinel; to look for danger. He gave signal to the minister that watch'd. – Milton.
5. To be attentive; to be vigilant in preparation for an event or trial, the time of whose arrival is uncertain. Watch therefore; for ye know not what hour your Lord doth come. – Matth. xxiv.
6. To be insidiously attentive; as, to watch for an opportunity to injure another.
7. To attend on the sick during the night; as, to watch with a man in a fever. To watch over, to be cautiously observant of; to inspect, superintend, and guard from error and danger. It is our duty constantly to watch over our own conduct and that of our children.

1. To guard; to have in keeping. Flaming ministers watch and tend their charge. – Milton.
2. To observe in ambush; to lie in wait for. Saul also sent messengers to David's house to watch him, and to slay him. 1 Sam. xix.
3. To tend; to guard. Paris watched the flocks in the groves of Ida. – Broome.
4. To observe in order to detect or prevent, or for some particular purpose; as, to watch a suspected person; to watch the progress of a bill in the legislature.

1. 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.
   
   

   Shepherds keeping watch by night. Milton.

   All the long night their mournful watch they keep. Addison.

   * Watch was formerly distinguished from ward, the former signifying a watching or guarding by night, and the latter a watching, guarding, or protecting by day Hence, they were not unfrequently used together, especially in the phrase to keep watch and ward, to denote continuous and uninterrupted vigilance or protection, or both watching and guarding. This distinction is now rarely recognized, watch being used to signify a watching or guarding both by night and by day, and ward, which is now rarely used, having simply the meaning of guard, or protection, without reference to time.

   Still, when she slept, he kept both watch and ward. Spenser.

   Ward, guard, or custodia, is chiefly applied to the daytime, in order to apprehend rioters, and robbers on the highway . . . Watch, is properly applicable to the night only, . . . and it begins when ward ends, and ends when that begins. Blackstone.

2. To be awake; to be or continue without sleep; to wake; to keep vigil.
   
   

   I have two nights watched with you. Shak.

   Couldest thou not watch one hour ? Mark xiv. 37.

3. 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.
   
   

   Saul also sent messengers unto David's house to watch him, and to slay him. 1 Sam. xix. 11

   I must cool a little, and watch my opportunity. Landor.

   In lazy mood I watched the little circles die. Longfellow.

4. One who watches, or those who watch; a watchman, or a body of watchmen; a sentry; a guard.
   
   

   Pilate said unto them, Ye have a watch; go your way, make it as sure as ye can. Matt. xxvii. 65.

5. To be attentive or vigilant; to give heed; to be on the lookout; to keep guard; to act as sentinel.
   
   

   Take ye heed, watch and pray. Mark xiii. 33.

   The Son gave signal high
   To the bright minister that watched. Milton.

6. To tend; to guard; to have in keeping.
   
   

   And flaming ministers, to watch and tend
   Their earthy charge. Milton.

   Paris watched the flocks in the groves of Ida. Broome.

7. The post or office of a watchman; also, the place where a watchman is posted, or where a guard is kept.
   
   

   He upbraids Iago, that he made him
   Brave me upon the watch. Shak.

8. To be expectant; to look with expectation; to wait; to seek opportunity.
   
   

   My soul waiteth for the Lord more than they that watch for the morning. Ps. cxxx. 6.

9. 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.
   
   

   I did stand my watch upon the hill. Shak.

   Might we but hear . . .
   Or whistle from the lodge, or village cock
   Count the night watches to his feathery dames. Milton.

10. 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.
11. A small timepiece, or chronometer, to be carried about the person, the machinery of which is moved by a spring.
    
    

    * Watches are often distinguished by the kind of escapement used, as an anchor watch, a lever watch, a chronometer watch, etc. (see the Note under Escapement, n., 3); also, by the kind of case, as a gold or silver watch, an open-faced watch, a hunting watch, or hunter, etc.

12. To serve the purpose of a watchman by floating properly in its place; -- said of a buoy.
    
    

    To watch over, to be cautiously observant of; to inspect, superintend, and guard.

13. An allotted portion of time, usually four hour for standing watch, or being on deck ready for duty. Cf. Dogwatch.
    
    
    (b)