night watch
Americannoun
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a watch or guard kept during the night.
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a person or the persons keeping such a watch.
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Usually night watches the periods or divisions into which the night was divided in ancient times.
noun
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a watch or guard kept at night, esp for security
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the period of time the watch is kept
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a person who keeps such a watch; night watchman
Other Word Forms
Etymology
Origin of night watch
before 1000; Middle English; Old English
Example Sentences
Examples are provided to illustrate real-world usage of words in context. Any opinions expressed do not reflect the views of Dictionary.com.
One morning soon after, as Giulia is chopping fruit and stirring porridge, the night watch tells her about an unusual little light that's been spotted on the horizon.
From BBC • Sep. 20, 2025
The government said Boylan failed to post the required roving night watch and never properly trained his crew in firefighting.
From Seattle Times • May 1, 2024
She said Boylan had done things “the Fritzler way” for decades, referring to boat owner Glen Fritzler, who did not require a roving night watch.
From Los Angeles Times • Nov. 4, 2023
Ronda Harris, 48, attended McBath’s election night watch party to show her support for a woman, who like her, is grieving the loss of a son.
From Washington Post • May 24, 2022
“I’m on the night watch now. The name is Fisher. Bring me round some cake, and I’ll keep an eye on your brother.”
From "Chains" by Laurie Halse Anderson
Definitions and idiom definitions from Dictionary.com Unabridged, based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2023
Idioms from The American Heritage® Idioms Dictionary copyright © 2002, 2001, 1995 by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. Published by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company.
