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definitions

night watchman

or night-watch·man

noun
  1. watchman.
  2. Cricket. a batsman who is sent in to bat just before the end of a day's play and continues his innings on the next day of play.

Origin of night watchman

First recorded in 1860–65
Dictionary.com Unabridged Based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2018

Examples from the Web for night watchman

Historical Examples of night watchman

  • The day-watchman went, and the night-watchman came, each with his greeting.

    Pirate Gold

    Frederic Jesup Stimson

  • Night-watchman at a docks ain't the same thing as night-watchman at the road-up.

    Nights in London

    Thomas Burke

  • There stands Clay in his pyjamas with a man I recognise as the night-watchman, a European.

  • A brave man, one Patrick Hoggins, was night-watchman of the bridge.

    Tom Strong, Lincoln's Scout

    Alfred Bishop Mason

  • The night-watchman was asleep by the fire in the engine-room.

British Dictionary definitions for night watchman

night watchman

noun
  1. Also called: night watch a person who keeps guard at night on a factory, public building, etc
  2. cricket a batsman sent in to bat to play out time when a wicket has fallen near the end of a day's play
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