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watch

watch [ woch ]


verb  (past and past participle watched, present participle watch·ing, 3rd person present singular watch·es)
Definition:
 
1. transitive and intransitive verb observe: to look at and keep your attention on something or somebody over a period of time
Are you coming to watch the game?
I watched him as he walked off down the street.
Would you mind doing that again? I wasn't watching.

2. intransitive verb keep lookout: to keep a lookout for something that might appear or happen
Your job is to watch for anyone coming.

3. transitive and intransitive verb monitor something or somebody: to keep something or somebody under observation as a protective measure, to gather information, or to exert control
Can you watch the baby while I go upstairs?

4. transitive verb exercise care about something: to be careful about something ( often used as a command )
Watch your language!
Watch where you're going!

5. intransitive verb keep vigil: to stay awake and keep a vigil



noun  (plural watch·es)
Definition:
 
1. personal clock: a small clock worn on the wrist or carried in a pocket

2. time spent observing: a period of time spent observing something closely

3. people watching: a person or group that guards or observes something, especially at night
posted a watch around the house, day and night

4. guard's duty: the period during which a guard is on duty

5. duty on ship: a fixed period of a day spent on duty on board a ship

6. person's period in charge: a period when a particular person is in charge of something ( informal )
didn't want anything going wrong on his watch

7. crew on duty: the members of a ship's crew who are on duty at a particular time

8. division of night: one of the periods of time into which the night was formerly divided

9. U.S. weather alert: an official notice from meteorological authorities that weather of a particular kind is likely to develop in an area
a tornado watch

[Assumed Old English wæccan "keep watch, be awake" < Germanic]

watch·er noun

be on the watch for somebody or something to look out for somebody or something

watch it to be careful (informal)

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