watch fire

noun

a fire maintained during the night as a signal and for providing light and warmth for guards.

Nearby words

watch, watch and ward, watch cap, watch chain, watch committee, watch fire, watch guard, watch it, watch like a hawk, watch list, watch meeting

Origin of watch fire

First recorded in 1795–1805

Dictionary.com Unabridged Based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2019

Examples from the Web for watch fire

Taking Edith by the hand, Baroness Baradlay advanced toward the first watch-fire.
The Baron's Sons|Mr Jkai
How the old man brightened when a blue curl of distant smoke promised him a speedy sight of St. Udo's watch-fire!
Faithful Margaret|Annie Ashmore
The watch-fire is out to-night,—the first night in eight months.
The Master-Knot of Human Fate|Ellis Meredith
The doctor and I sat one night by our watch-fire talking the matter over, and I said that I began to be doubtful of success.
Bunyip Land|George Manville Fenn

Your face has flitted out of my watch-fire, and then I have been a haunted man.
Anna the Adventuress|E. Phillips Oppenheim

British Dictionary definitions for watch fire

watch fire

noun

a fire kept burning at night as a signal or for warmth and light by a person keeping watch

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

watch fire

noun

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Nearby words

Origin of watch fire

Examples from the Web for watch fire

British Dictionary definitions for watch fire

watch fire

noun