watchman

[ woch-muhn ]

/ ˈwɒtʃ mən /

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See synonyms for watchman on Thesaurus.com

noun, plural watch·men.

a person who keeps guard over a building at night, to protect it from fire, vandals, or thieves.

(formerly) a person who guards or patrols the streets at night.

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CAN YOU ANSWER THESE COMMON GRAMMAR DEBATES?

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Question 1 of 7

Which sentence is correct?

His boss, whom he admires, is waiting to meet with him about the big project.

His boss, who he admires, is waiting to meet with him about the big project.

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Origin of watchman

late Middle English word dating back to 1350–1400; see origin at watch, man

OTHER WORDS FROM watchman

watch·man·ly, adjective

Words nearby watchman

watch it, watchless, watch like a hawk, watch list, watchmaker, watchman, watch meeting, watch my dust, watch night, watch one's step, watchout

Dictionary.com Unabridged Based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2023

How to use watchman in a sentence

Luckily, watchmen provided by the Committee were stationed outside, with shotguns, ready to protect them from trouble if necessary.
Why All Actors—and the World—Owe a Debt to Sidney Poitier|Stephanie Zacharek|January 7, 2022|Time
Kocurek now works 12-hour shifts as a night watchman guarding the entrance to a drilling patch.
Two Texas Regulators Tried to Enforce the Rules. They Were Fired.|David Hasemyer, InsideClimate News|December 9, 2014|DAILY BEAST
His usual trick: bribing the night watchman to let him into the bank.
The High Society Bank Robber of the 1800s|J. North Conway|October 19, 2014|DAILY BEAST
My friends and I went there once or twice a week and waited for the watchman to chase us out.
The Stacks: A Dog Dies, a Boy Grows Up|Pete Dexter|June 21, 2014|DAILY BEAST

And people—reportedly less than 20, but still—actually showed up to meet the killer neighborhood watchman and get his autograph!
Fringe Factor: Liberal Professors Should Be Shot|Caitlin Dickson|March 16, 2014|DAILY BEAST
The Wolf and the Watchman: A Father, a Son, and the CIA by Scott C. Johnson, W.W. Norton & Co.
The National Book Awards Longlist for Nonfiction||September 18, 2013|DAILY BEAST
W was a Watchman, and guarded the door; X was expensive, and so became poor.
Boys and Girls Bookshelf; a Practical Plan of Character Building, Volume I (of 17)|Various
A brilliant blaze of lightning showed him the unmistakable figure of the Black Hood bending over the body of Joseph, the watchman.
Hooded Detective, Volume III No. 2, January, 1942|Various
The prophet eats the book, and receives further instructions: the office of a watchman.
The Bible, Douay-Rheims Version|Various
When I saw the knife, I planned to withdraw it from the watchman's throat, to use it as possible evidence.
Hooded Detective, Volume III No. 2, January, 1942|Various
The duty of the watchman appointed by God: the justice of God's ways: his judgments upon the Jews.
The Bible, Douay-Rheims Version|Various

British Dictionary definitions for watchman

watchman

/ (ˈwɒtʃmən) /

noun plural -men

a person employed to guard buildings or property

(formerly) a man employed to patrol or guard the streets at night

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

watchman

Origin of watchman

OTHER WORDS FROM watchman

Words nearby watchman

Words related to watchman

How to use watchman in a sentence

British Dictionary definitions for watchman