deathwatch
[ deth-woch, -wawch ]
/ ˈdɛθˌwɒtʃ, -ˌwɔtʃ /
Save This Word!
noun
a vigil beside a dying or dead person.
a guard set over a condemned person before execution.
Also called deathwatch beetle. any of several beetles of the family Anobiidae that make a ticking sound as they bore through wood: the sound was once believed to be an omen of death.
QUIZZES
QUIZ YOURSELF ON AFFECT VS. EFFECT!
In effect, this quiz will prove whether or not you have the skills to know the difference between “affect” and “effect.”
Question 1 of 7
The rainy weather could not ________ my elated spirits on my graduation day.
Words nearby deathwatch
Dictionary.com Unabridged
Based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2021
Example sentences from the Web for deathwatch
Why Do “Left” And “Right” Mean Liberal And Conservative?
“Affect” vs. “Effect”: Use The Correct Word Every Time
What Is The Difference Between “It’s” And “Its”?
“Effectiveness” vs. “Efficacy” vs. “Efficiency”: When To Use Each Word For The Best Results
What Is “GOP” Short For?
“Vaccinate” vs. “Inoculate” vs. “Immunize”: What Are The Differences?
British Dictionary definitions for deathwatch
deathwatch
/ (ˈdɛθˌwɒtʃ) /
noun
a vigil held beside a dying or dead person
deathwatch beetle a beetle, Xestobium rufovillosum, whose woodboring larvae are a serious pest. The adult produces a rapid tapping sound with its head that was once popularly supposed to presage deathSee also anobiid
Collins English Dictionary - Complete & Unabridged 2012 Digital Edition
© William Collins Sons & Co. Ltd. 1979, 1986 © HarperCollins
Publishers 1998, 2000, 2003, 2005, 2006, 2007, 2009, 2012