WATCH

Pronunciation (US):

(GB):

IPA (US):

 Dictionary entry overview: What does watch mean? 

• WATCH (noun)
  The noun WATCH has 6 senses:

1. a small portable timepiece

2. a period of time (4 or 2 hours) during which some of a ship's crew are on duty

3. a purposeful surveillance to guard or observe

4. the period during which someone (especially a guard) is on duty

5. a person employed to keep watch for some anticipated event

6. the rite of staying awake for devotional purposes (especially on the eve of a religious festival)

  Familiarity information: WATCH used as a noun is common.

• WATCH (verb)
  The verb WATCH has 7 senses:

1. look attentively

2. follow with the eyes or the mind

3. see or watch

4. observe with attention

5. be vigilant, be on the lookout or be careful

6. observe or determine by looking

7. find out, learn, or determine with certainty, usually by making an inquiry or other effort

  Familiarity information: WATCH used as a verb is common.

 Dictionary entry details 

• WATCH (noun)

Sense 1

Meaning:

A small portable timepiece

Classified under:

Nouns denoting man-made objects

Synonyms:

ticker; watch

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

horologe; timekeeper; timepiece (a measuring instrument or device for keeping time)

Meronyms (parts of "watch"):

movement (the driving and regulating parts of a mechanism (as of a watch or clock))

face (the side upon which the use of a thing depends (usually the most prominent surface of an object))

crystal; watch crystal; watch glass (a protective cover that protects the face of a watch)

watch case (the metal case in which the works of a watch are housed)

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

analog watch (a watch that represents time by the position of hands on a dial)

digital watch (a watch with a digital display)

hunter; hunting watch (a watch with a hinged metal lid to protect the crystal)

pendulum watch ((18th century) a watch with a balance wheel having a fake pendulum attached to it)

pocket watch (a watch that is carried in a small watch pocket)

stem-winder (a watch that is wound by turning a knob at the stem)

wrist watch; wristwatch (a watch that is worn strapped to the wrist)

Sense 2

Meaning:

A period of time (4 or 2 hours) during which some of a ship's crew are on duty

Classified under:

Nouns denoting time and temporal relations

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

duty period; shift; work shift (the time period during which you are at work)

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

dogwatch (either of two short watches: from 4-6 pm or 6-8 pm)

graveyard watch; middle watch; midwatch; night watch (a watch during the night (as from midnight to 8 a.m.))

Sense 3

Meaning:

A purposeful surveillance to guard or observe

Classified under:

Nouns denoting acts or actions

Synonyms:

vigil; watch

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

surveillance (close observation of a person or group (usually by the police))

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

spying (keeping a secret or furtive watch)

continuous receiver watch; listening watch (a watch established for the reception of traffic of interest to the unit maintaining the watch)

Derivation:

watch (observe with attention)

watch (observe or determine by looking)

watch (look attentively)

watch (see or watch)

watch (follow with the eyes or the mind)

Sense 4

Meaning:

The period during which someone (especially a guard) is on duty

Classified under:

Nouns denoting time and temporal relations

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

period; period of time; time period (an amount of time)

Sense 5

Meaning:

A person employed to keep watch for some anticipated event

Classified under:

Nouns denoting people

Synonyms:

lookout; lookout man; picket; scout; sentinel; sentry; spotter; watch

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

security guard; watcher; watchman (a guard who keeps watch)

Derivation:

watch (be vigilant, be on the lookout or be careful)

Sense 6

Meaning:

The rite of staying awake for devotional purposes (especially on the eve of a religious festival)

Classified under:

Nouns denoting acts or actions

Synonyms:

vigil; watch

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

religious rite; rite (an established ceremony prescribed by a religion)

Domain category:

faith; religion; religious belief (a strong belief in a supernatural power or powers that control human destiny)

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

viewing; wake (a vigil held over a corpse the night before burial)

agrypnia (a vigil before certain feasts (as e.g. Easter))

• WATCH (verb)

Conjugation:

Sense 1

Meaning:

Look attentively

Classified under:

Verbs of seeing, hearing, feeling

Context example:

watch a basketball game

"Watch" entails doing...:

look (perceive with attention; direct one's gaze towards)

Troponyms (each of the following is one way to "watch"):

witness (be a witness to)

rubberneck (strain to watch; stare curiously)

catch; see; take in; view; watch (see or watch)

observe (watch attentively)

Sentence frames:

Somebody ----s
Somebody ----s something
Somebody ----s somebody

Derivation:

watch (a purposeful surveillance to guard or observe)

watcher (a close observer; someone who looks at something (such as an exhibition of some kind))

Sense 2

Meaning:

Follow with the eyes or the mind

Classified under:

Verbs of political and social activities and events

Synonyms:

follow; keep an eye on; observe; watch; watch over

Context example:

She followed the men with the binoculars

Hypernyms (to "watch" is one way to...):

check; check into; check out; check over; check up on; go over; look into; suss out (examine so as to determine accuracy, quality, or condition)

Verb group:

follow; trace (follow, discover, or ascertain the course of development of something)

Troponyms (each of the following is one way to "watch"):

keep tabs on (keep a record on or watch attentively)

guard (to keep watch over)

invigilate; proctor (watch over (students taking an exam, to prevent cheating))

Sentence frames:

Somebody ----s something
Somebody ----s somebody
Something ----s something

Sentence example:

The children watch the ball

Derivation:

watch (a purposeful surveillance to guard or observe)

Sense 3

Meaning:

See or watch

Classified under:

Verbs of seeing, hearing, feeling

Synonyms:

catch; see; take in; view; watch

Context example:

see a movie

Hypernyms (to "watch" is one way to...):

watch (look attentively)

Verb group:

see (perceive by sight or have the power to perceive by sight)

Troponyms (each of the following is one way to "watch"):

visualise; visualize (view the outline of by means of an X-ray)

spectate (be a spectator in a sports event)

preview (watch (a movie or play) before it is released to the general public)

Sentence frame:

Somebody ----s something

Sentence example:

Sam and Sue watch the movie

Derivation:

watch (a purposeful surveillance to guard or observe)

Sense 4

Meaning:

Observe with attention

Classified under:

Verbs of seeing, hearing, feeling

Synonyms:

look on; watch

Context example:

They watched as the murderer was executed

"Watch" entails doing...:

see (perceive by sight or have the power to perceive by sight)

Troponyms (each of the following is one way to "watch"):

sit back; sit by (be inactive or indifferent while something is happening)

Sentence frames:

Somebody ----s
Somebody ----s something

Derivation:

watch (a purposeful surveillance to guard or observe)

watcher (a close observer; someone who looks at something (such as an exhibition of some kind))

watching (the act of observing; taking a patient look)

Sense 5

Meaning:

Be vigilant, be on the lookout or be careful

Classified under:

Verbs of seeing, hearing, feeling

Synonyms:

look out; watch; watch out

Context example:

Watch out for pickpockets!

Troponyms (each of the following is one way to "watch"):

beware; mind (be on one's guard; be cautious or wary about; be alert to)

keep one's eyes open; keep one's eyes peeled; keep one's eyes skinned (pay attention; be watchful)

look after (keep under careful scrutiny)

Sentence frames:

Somebody ----s
Somebody ----s PP

Sentence examples:

The men watch the area for animals
The men watch for animals in the area

Derivation:

watch (a person employed to keep watch for some anticipated event)

watcher (a guard who keeps watch)

Sense 6

Meaning:

Observe or determine by looking

Classified under:

Verbs of seeing, hearing, feeling

Context example:

Watch how the dog chases the cats away

Sentence frame:

Somebody ----s whether INFINITIVE

Derivation:

watch (a purposeful surveillance to guard or observe)

Sense 7

Meaning:

Find out, learn, or determine with certainty, usually by making an inquiry or other effort

Classified under:

Verbs of telling, asking, ordering, singing

Synonyms:

ascertain; check; determine; find out; learn; see; watch

Context example:

Check whether the train leaves on time

Verb group:

ascertain; determine; find; find out (establish after a calculation, investigation, experiment, survey, or study)

ascertain; assure; check; control; ensure; insure; see; see to it (be careful or certain to do something; make certain of something)

Troponyms (each of the following is one way to "watch"):

test (determine the presence or properties of (a substance))

Sentence frame:

Somebody ----s whether INFINITIVE

Sentence example:

They watch whether there was a traffic accident

 Context examples 

He took out his watch: “How long do you think we have been running it from Tetbury, Miss Morland?”

(Northanger Abbey, by Jane Austen)

White Fang came near to him and watched.

(White Fang, by Jack London)

A treatment plan that involves closely watching a patient’s condition but not giving any treatment unless there are changes in test results that show the condition is getting worse.

(Active surveillance, NCI Dictionary)

Closely watching a patient’s condition but not giving treatment unless symptoms appear or change, or there are changes in test results.

(Deferred therapy, NCI Dictionary)

With the help of advanced imaging techniques, the researchers watched neutrophils moving through the channels.

(Researchers unearth secret tunnels between the skull and the brain, National Institutes of Health)

NASA’s Solar Dynamics Observatory, which watches the sun constantly, captured images of both events.

(Two Significant Solar Flares Imaged by NASA's SDO, NASA)

We'll talk a bit more about this later, let's watch the report.

(Health threats caused by mobile phone radiation, EUROPARL TV)

NASA’s Solar Dynamics Observatory, which watches the sun constantly, captured an image of the event.

(Solar Dynamics Observatory Captures Images of a Mid-Level Solar Flare, NASA)

What are the common problems to watch out for?

(Medication Errors, Centers for Disease Control and Prevention)

Watching something and taking note of what happens.

(Observation, NCI Thesaurus)