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vigil
[ vij-uhl ]
noun
- wakefulness or watchfulness maintained for any reason during the normal hours for sleeping:
They passed many hours in vigil.
- a watch or a period of watchful attention maintained at night or at other times:
The nurse kept her vigil at the bedside of the dying man.
- a quiet demonstration to support a cause, protest an injustice, honor the dead, etc.:
A candlelight vigil in remembrance of the two fallen officers will be held tonight at sundown.
- Ecclesiastical.
- Sometimes vigils. a nocturnal devotional exercise or service, especially on the eve before a church festival:
The Easter vigil reflects on the holy sacraments as well as the resurrection and ascension of Christ.
- the eve, or day and night, before a church festival, especially an eve that is a fast.
- a period of wakefulness from inability to sleep.
vigil
/ ˈvɪdʒɪl /
noun
- a purposeful watch maintained, esp at night, to guard, observe, pray, etc
- the period of such a watch
- RC Church Church of England the eve of certain major festivals, formerly observed as a night spent in prayer: often marked by fasting and abstinence and a special Mass and divine office
- a period of sleeplessness; insomnia
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Word History and Origins
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Word History and Origins
Origin of vigil1
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Example Sentences
“If 6,000 people were at the vigil, we hope it will be big,” said university student council President Jalen Ross of the search.
The conference had already scheduled a candlelight vigil for those who died of AIDS.
Obama happened to be in town the following Thursday, when there was a candlelight vigil for Rushing.
Finally, there was a vigil of about ten people standing hand in hand across the street form the clinic praying quietly.
After standing vigil at the scene of the crime, Adebolajo also approached cameras that began recording the aftermath.
There was no night to bring his vigil or his meditations to a close, but time wore him out at last.
Its hiding-place was discovered by angelic music which issued from the mouth of the cave on every vigil of the holy apostle.
“We will stay,” said my father; and as terrible a vigil as ever poor creatures kept commenced.
It was not until long after midnight that he relaxed his straining, uneasy vigil, and stretched himself to unvexed sleep.
This morning I succeeded in eluding my uncle's vigil, and here I am.
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