watch

[ woch ]

/ wɒtʃ /

See synonyms for: watch / watched / watches / watching on Thesaurus.com

verb (used without object)

to be alertly on the lookout, look attentively, or observe, as to see what comes, is done, or happens: to watch while an experiment is performed.

to look or wait attentively and expectantly (usually followed by for): to watch for a signal; to watch for an opportunity.

to be careful or cautious: Watch when you cross the street.

to keep awake, especially for a purpose; remain vigilant, as for protection or safekeeping: to watch with a sick person.

to keep vigil, as for devotional purposes.

to keep guard: She was assigned to watch at the door.

verb (used with object)

to keep under attentive view or observation, as in order to see or learn something; view attentively or with interest: to watch a play; to watch a football game.

to contemplate or regard mentally: to watch his progress.

to look or wait attentively and expectantly for: to watch one's opportunity.

to guard, tend, or oversee, especially for protection or safekeeping: to watch the baby.

noun

close, continuous observation for the purpose of seeing or discovering something: Their watch for the birds was unrewarding.

vigilant guard, as for protection or restraint: to keep watch for prowlers.

a keeping awake for some special purpose: a watch beside a sickbed.

a period of time for watching or keeping guard: to stand the first watch.

a small, portable timepiece, as a wrist watch or pocket watch.

a chronometer.

Nautical.

a period of time, usually four hours, during which one part of a ship's crew is on duty, taking turns with another part.
the officers and crew who attend to the working of a ship for an allotted period of time.

one of the periods, usually three or four, into which the night was divided in ancient times, as by the Greeks or Hebrews: the fourth watch of the night.

a person or group that watches, as a lookout, guard, or sentinel: A watch was posted at sunset.

Also called storm watch. Meteorology. an announcement from the U.S. National Weather Service alerting the public that dangerous weather conditions are a possibility and that vigilance and precautionary preparations are advised: hurricane watch;tornado watch.Compare advisory (def. 5), warning (def. 3).

a flock of nightingales.

Verb Phrases

watch out, to be on one's guard; be cautious: Watch out for cars when you cross the road.

watch over, to guard for protection or safekeeping: She watched over us like a mother hen over her brood.

SYNONYMS FOR watch

9 await.

10 protect.

11 inspection, attention.

12 vigil.

See synonyms for watch on Thesaurus.com

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Idioms for watch

on the watch, vigilant; alert: The hunter was on the watch for game.

watch oneself,

to be cautious.
to practice discretion or self-restraint.

Origin of watch

First recorded before 900; 1580–90 for def. 15; (verb) Middle English wacchen, Old English wæccan, doublet of wacian “to be awake”; (noun) Middle English wacche, Old English wæcce, derivative of wæccan; see wake¹

synonym study for watch

1. Watch, look, see imply being aware of things around one by perceiving them through the eyes. To watch is to be a spectator, to look on or observe, or to fix the attention upon during passage of time: to watch while a procession passes. To look is to direct the gaze with the intention of seeing, to use the eyesight with attention: to look for violets in the spring; to look at articles displayed for sale. To see is to perceive with the eyes, to obtain a visual impression, with or without fixing the attention: animals able to see in the dark.

OTHER WORDS FROM watch

un·watched, adjectiveun·watch·ing, adjectivewell-watched, adjective

Dictionary.com Unabridged Based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2021

Example sentences from the Web for watch

Until his incompetence affects her directly — say, with a sudden mass exodus of burned-out employees or a significant failure on his watch — she has little incentive to make further effort.
It’s hard to get rid of a bad boss. Instead, try a ‘soft coup.’|Karla Miller|November 19, 2020|Washington Post
Rebuilding Paradise is still a worthwhile watch for its emotional impact.
'Rebuilding Paradise' Is a Portrait of Resilience|Erin Berger|November 19, 2020|Outside Online
The watch also isn’t designed to work for an indoor pool swim in triathlon mode.
This new workout watch can tell when you switch activities|Rob Verger|November 17, 2020|Popular Science
The National Weather Service is considering issuing a flood watch for the region.
Heavy rain and isolated flooding forecast for Washington region Wednesday into Thursday|Jeffrey Halverson, Jason Samenow|November 10, 2020|Washington Post

The achilles heel of such robust watches is usually battery life, but Garmin addresses that with a glass lens that can keep it going for more than ten days on three hours of sunlight per day.
Tech Gifts to Make Anyone's Life Better|Gabriela Aoun and Joe Jackson|November 10, 2020|Outside Online
I watched SNL—the Eddie Murphy generation—and also SCTV with Rick Moranis.
Coffee Talk with Fred Armisen: On ‘Portlandia,’ Meeting Obama, and Taylor Swift’s Greatness|Marlow Stern|January 7, 2015|DAILY BEAST
In Rwanda, as we watched the young fathers hold their babies, we saw a contented look in their eyes.
How Good Dads Can Change the World|Gary Barker, PhD, Michael Kaufman|January 6, 2015|DAILY BEAST
Those who have watched anti-gay groups closely suggest that there will be two major strategic shifts in their strategy.
‘Only God’ Can Stop Gay Marriage|Tim Mak|January 6, 2015|DAILY BEAST
Because I was living with this story, I watched closely as Hollywood considered making a film about Selma.
Dr. King Goes to Hollywood: The Flawed History of ‘Selma’|Gary May|January 2, 2015|DAILY BEAST
Mrs. Douli then watched her husband go under water for the last time.
‘We’re Going to Die’: Survivors Recount Greek Ferry Fire Horror|Barbie Latza Nadeau|December 29, 2014|DAILY BEAST
Somehow he had expected to find her there, and he watched her again, as he had done through Pre Antoine's vines.
Bayou Folk|Kate Chopin
Yet the keenness with which immorality of the particular kind is watched fans the flame of lust.
Expositor's Bible: The Book of Job|Robert Watson
The girl who watched them breathlessly from behind the roses clutched her hands over her heart.
Pretty Madcap Dorothy|Laura Jean Libbey
Intently from his screened post of observation, he watched the gun barrel.
Tom Fairfield in Camp|Allen Chapman
The vice president in charge of programs dropped into the 205studio that afternoon and watched them work for over an hour.
Janet Hardy in Radio City|Ruthe S. Wheeler

British Dictionary definitions for watch (1 of 2)

watch

/ (wɒtʃ) /

verb

to look at or observe closely or attentively

(intr foll by for) to wait attentively or expectantly

to guard or tend (something) closely or carefully

(intr) to keep vigil

(tr) to maintain an interest into watch the progress of a child at school

watch it! be careful! look out!

noun

a small portable timepiece, usually worn strapped to the wrist (a wristwatch) or in a waistcoat pocket
(as modifier)a watch spring

the act or an instance of watching

a period of vigil, esp during the night

(formerly) one of a set of periods of any of various lengths into which the night was divided

nautical

any of the usually four-hour periods beginning at midnight and again at noon during which part of a ship's crew are on duty
those officers and crew on duty during a specified watch

the period during which a guard is on duty

(formerly) a watchman or band of watchmen

on the watch on the lookout; alert

Word Origin for watch

Old English wæccan (vb), wæcce (n); related to wake 1

British Dictionary definitions for watch (2 of 2)

-watch

suffix

indicating a regular television programme or newspaper feature on the topic specifiedCrimewatch

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

Idioms and Phrases with watch

watch

In addition to the idioms beginning with watch

watched pot never boils, a
watch it
watch like a hawk
watch my dust
watch one's step
watch out
watch over

also see:

keep watch
look (watch) out
on the lookout (watch)

MEANINGS

WORD GAMES

LEARN

WRITING

WORD OF THE DAY

watch

verb (used without object)

verb (used with object)

noun

Verb Phrases

SYNONYMS FOR watch

QUIZZES

LEARN THE SPANISH WORDS FOR THESE COMMON ANIMALS!

Idioms for watch

Origin of watch

synonym study for watch

OTHER WORDS FROM watch

Example sentences from the Web for watch

British Dictionary definitions for watch (1 of 2)

verb

noun

Word Origin for watch

British Dictionary definitions for watch (2 of 2)

suffix

Idioms and Phrases with watch

MEANINGS

WORD GAMES

LEARN

WRITING

WORD OF THE DAY

watch

verb (used without object)

verb (used with object)

noun

Verb Phrases

SYNONYMS FOR watch

QUIZZES

LEARN THE SPANISH WORDS FOR THESE COMMON ANIMALS!

Idioms for watch

Origin of watch

synonym study for watch

OTHER WORDS FROM watch

Words related to watch

Example sentences from the Web for watch

British Dictionary definitions for watch (1 of 2)

verb

noun

Word Origin for watch

British Dictionary definitions for watch (2 of 2)

suffix

Idioms and Phrases with watch