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?

There are grammar debates that never die; and the ones highlighted in the questions in this quiz are sure to rile everyone up once again. Do you know how to answer the questions that cause some of the greatest grammar debates?

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

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

How to use watchman in a sentence

The body lay in an aboveground marble sarcophagus guarded by no groundskeepers or watchmen, just one lonely padlock.
Invasion of the Celebrity Body Snatchers, From Charlie Chaplin to Casey Kasem|Melissa Leon|July 19, 2014|DAILY BEAST
Or that, lacking alarm clocks, people hired watchmen to come to their house in the morning and pound on the door to wake them up?
Great Cities are Born Filthy|Will Doig|July 13, 2014|DAILY BEAST
And in doing so, Ghostery gives you the ability to go dark—or at least helps you watch the watchmen.
Surf Better With These 9 Killer Google Chrome Extensions|Brian Ries|December 11, 2013|DAILY BEAST
“They are the watchmen,” said Dave Zirin, author of Game Over: How Politics Has Turned the Sports World Upside Down.
Deadspin Rides Manti Te’o Hoax Story to Renown—and Keeps Heat on ESPN|David Freedlander|February 5, 2013|DAILY BEAST

The other is someone directly employed in the making of Before Watchmen.
Watching ‘Watchmen’: A Classic Comic’s Classless Return|Tim Marchman|July 3, 2012|DAILY BEAST
In the larger village of Onao they met a group of chowkidars, or watchmen, in the main street.
The Red Year|Louis Tracy
Outside in the courtyard the fire was kept burning, beside which two watchmen sat all night smoking and telling stories.
Our Little Korean Cousin|H. Lee M. Pike
His watchmen are all blind, they are all ignorant: dumb dogs not able to bark, seeing vain things, sleeping and loving dreams.
The Bible, Douay-Rheims Version|Various
And I appointed watchmen over you, saying: Hearken ye to the sound of the trumpet.
The Bible, Douay-Rheims Version|Various
Guarding the door was one of the watchmen, who, from his great physique, might well have been a policeman out of livery.
The Double Four|E. Phillips Oppenheim

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 related to watchman

How to use watchman in a sentence

British Dictionary definitions for watchman