watch
Language: English
Part of speech: verb
Pronunciation: ipa: /ˈwɒt͡ʃ/
ipa: /ˈwɔt͡ʃ/
ipa: /ˈwɑt͡ʃ/
ipa: /ˈwɔt͡ʃ/
rhymes: -ɒtʃ
Forms: form: watches
form: watching
form: watched
form: watched
form: no-table-tags
form: glossary
form: watch
form: watch
form: watched
form: watch
form: watchest
form: watched
form: watchedst
form: watches
form: watcheth
form: watched
form: watch
form: watched
form: watch
form: watched
form: watch
form: -
form: watching
form: watched
Etymology: From Middle English wacchen, from Old English wæċċan, from Proto-West Germanic *wakkjan, from Proto-Germanic *wakjaną.
Senses: examples: text: Watching the clock will not make time go faster.
text: I'm tired of watching TV.
text: It was a joy to snatch some brief respite, and find himself in the rectory drawing–room. Listening here was as pleasant as talking; just to watch was pleasant. The young priests who lived here wore cassocks and birettas; their faces were fine and mild, yet really strong, like the rector's face; and in their intercourse with him and his wife they seemed to be brothers.
ref: 1918, W[illiam] B[abington] Maxwell, chapter X, in The Mirror and the Lamp, Indianapolis, Ind.: The Bobbs-Merrill Company, →OCLC:
glosses: To look at, see, or view for a period of time.
examples: text: Watch this!
text: Put a little baking soda in some vinegar and watch what happens.
glosses: To observe over a period of time; to notice or pay attention.
examples: text: Please watch my suitcase for a minute.
text: He has to watch the kids that afternoon.
text: […] (it was the town's humour to be always gassing of phantom investors who were likely to come any moment and pay a thousand prices for everything) — “[…] Them rich fellers, they don't make no bad breaks with their money. They watch it all th' time b'cause they know blame well there ain't hardly room fer their feet fer th' pikers an' tin-horns an' thimble-riggers what are layin' fer 'em. […]”
ref: 1899, Stephen Crane, chapter 1, in Twelve O'Clock:
glosses: To mind, attend, or guard.
examples: text: You should watch that guy. He has a reputation for lying.
glosses: To be wary or cautious of.
examples: text: watch your head; watch your step
text: Watch yourself when you talk to him.
text: Watch what you say.
glosses: To attend to dangers to or regarding.
examples: text: At the funeralls in Yorkeshire, to this day, they continue the custome of watching & sitting-up all night till the body is interred.
ref: 1687, John Aubrey, Remaines of Gentilisme and Judaisme, page 30:
glosses: To remain awake with a sick or dying person; to maintain a vigil.
examples: text: For some must watch, while some must sleep: So runs the world away.
glosses: To be vigilant or on one's guard.
glosses: To act as a lookout.
topics: nautical
transport
glosses: To serve the purpose of a watchman by floating properly in its place.
raw_tags: of a buoy
examples: text: 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 […]
ref: 1485, Thomas Malory, Le Morte d'Arthur, Book X:
glosses: To be awake.
examples: text: [S]he had reason to dread that her husband had formed a very criminal project of being revenged on Zeluco, and watched an opportunity of putting it in execution.
ref: 1789, John Moore, Zeluco, Valancourt, published 2008, page 80:
glosses: To be on the lookout for; to wait for expectantly.
Derived terms: sense: Terms derived from the verb "watch"
word: bewatch
sense: Terms derived from the verb "watch"
word: binge-watch
sense: Terms derived from the verb "watch"
word: clock-watch
sense: Terms derived from the verb "watch"
word: clock-watcher
sense: Terms derived from the verb "watch"
word: cock watch
sense: Terms derived from the verb "watch"
word: hate-watch
sense: Terms derived from the verb "watch"
word: like nobody's watching
sense: Terms derived from the verb "watch"
word: people-watch
sense: Terms derived from the verb "watch"
word: time watch
sense: Terms derived from the verb "watch"
word: watch and act
sense: Terms derived from the verb "watch"
word: watch and wait
sense: Terms derived from the verb "watch"
word: watch and ward
sense: Terms derived from the verb "watch"
word: watch-birth
sense: Terms derived from the verb "watch"
word: watched toast never burns
sense: Terms derived from the verb "watch"
word: watch grass grow
sense: Terms derived from the verb "watch"
word: watch it
sense: Terms derived from the verb "watch"
word: watch like a hawk
sense: Terms derived from the verb "watch"
word: watchman
sense: Terms derived from the verb "watch"
word: watch one's ass
sense: Terms derived from the verb "watch"
word: watch one's back
sense: Terms derived from the verb "watch"
word: watch one's language
sense: Terms derived from the verb "watch"
word: watch one's mouth
sense: Terms derived from the verb "watch"
word: watch one's step
sense: Terms derived from the verb "watch"
word: watch one's tongue
sense: Terms derived from the verb "watch"
word: watch out
sense: Terms derived from the verb "watch"
word: watch over
sense: Terms derived from the verb "watch"
word: watch paint dry
sense: Terms derived from the verb "watch"
word: watch the birdie
sense: Terms derived from the verb "watch"
word: watch the feathers fly
sense: Terms derived from the verb "watch"
word: watch the fur fly
sense: Terms derived from the verb "watch"
word: watch the pennies
sense: Terms derived from the verb "watch"
word: watch the world burn
sense: Terms derived from the verb "watch"
word: watch the world go by
sense: Terms derived from the verb "watch"
word: watch this space
sense: Terms derived from the verb "watch"
word: watchtower
sense: Terms derived from the verb "watch"
word: whale watch
sense: Terms derived from the verb "watch"
word: who watches the watchers
Related terms: wait
wake