Word: watchnight Part of Speech: noun Etymology: From watch + night. Pronunciation: /ˈwɒtʃnaɪt/, /ˈwɑt͡ʃnaɪt/ 1. A religious service involving a review of the past year and preparation for the year ahead participated in by Methodists and members of other Christian denominations which usually starts late on New Year's Eve and ends after midnight on New Year's Day; hence, the night that begins on December 31 and ends on January 1. Example: Holonym: New Year's (holiday-time sense) Example: Near-synonym: New Year's Eve (not identical to watchnight: New Year's Eve is the entire day before New Year's Day (or specifically its evening), whereas watchnight is the night that begins at sundown on New Year's Eve and ends with sunrise on New Year's Day) 2. A monthly or quarterly religious service participated in by Methodists which extended past midnight. Labels: historical Example: The ſpiritual concerns, ſhall be managed by the preachers; who have ever appointed leaders, choſen ſtewards, and admitted members into, and expelled them, from the ſociety, conſulting their brethren the leaders and ſtewards, according to the rules before mentioned. The preachers alſo as hitherto, are to appoint love-feaſts, and watch-nights, and to vary the time and places of preaching, claſs-meeting, &c. Example: We offer no apology for the Methodist watchnight service. It needs none. In the first days of Methodism, indeed, this service was misrepresented and reviled by those who sought occasion against us; […] The Wesleyan watchnight dates from the earliest times of the United Societies. We have this account of its origin by [William] Myles, in his "Chronological History:"—"The custom was begun at Kingswood by the colliers there, who, before their conversion, used to spend every Saturday-night at the ale-house. After they were taught better, they spent that night in prayer. Mr. [John] Wesley, hearing of it, ordered it first to be once a month, at the full of the moon; then once a quarter, and recommended it to all his Societies." 3. Any religious or spiritual vigil. Example: To spend a whole night, from sunset to sunrise, in vigil, is locally reckoned as two "watchnights" (in Kekchi, yo'lec). On occasion when one "watchnight" is deemed sufficient, people go home to sleep after midnight. When a series of 13 "watchnights" are required, a full night vigil will normally only be observed for the final twelfth night. Example: Private vigils [among the Kekchi or Q'eqchi' people] may also be undertaken for specific purposes including curing and sorcery. Whether the purpose be good or evil, 13 "watchnights" are reckoned as the ideal number to observe. That is also the number of "watchnights" an individual or whole community will observe in preparation for a pilgrimage. 4. A night watchman. Labels: Africa, West Example: Next morning a flustered watchnight waited for Bill. 'What is this t'ing?' he indignantly demanded. 'In the night I sit watching, then Madam come and pour a bucket of water on me. Next a t'ief-man come. I fight him but he too strong and he take my bicycle ...[…]['] Example: He gave the watchnight a big sum of money to tell the court that he saw Ayo carrying those drugs into his room. He also induced the chemist to give evidence against Ayo that he was not buying those drugs for patients.