DEATHWATCH

Pronunciation (US):

(GB):

IPA (US):

 Dictionary entry overview: What does deathwatch mean? 

• DEATHWATCH (noun)
  The noun DEATHWATCH has 2 senses:

1. minute wingless psocopterous insects injurious to books and papers

2. bores through wood making a ticking sound popularly thought to presage death

  Familiarity information: DEATHWATCH used as a noun is rare.

 Dictionary entry details 

• DEATHWATCH (noun)

Sense 1

Meaning:

Minute wingless psocopterous insects injurious to books and papers

Classified under:

Nouns denoting animals

Synonyms:

book louse; booklouse; deathwatch; Liposcelis divinatorius

Hypernyms ("deathwatch" is a kind of...):

psocopterous insect (small soft-bodied insect with chewing mouthparts and either no wings or two pairs)

Hyponyms (each of the following is a kind of "deathwatch"):

common booklouse; Trogium pulsatorium (a variety of booklouse)

Holonyms ("deathwatch" is a member of...):

genus Liposcelis; Liposcelis (a genus of Psocidae)

Sense 2

Meaning:

Bores through wood making a ticking sound popularly thought to presage death

Classified under:

Nouns denoting animals

Synonyms:

deathwatch; deathwatch beetle; Xestobium rufovillosum

Hypernyms ("deathwatch" is a kind of...):

beetle (insect having biting mouthparts and front wings modified to form horny covers overlying the membranous rear wings)

Holonyms ("deathwatch" is a member of...):

Anobiidae; family Anobiidae (deathwatch beetles)