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watch over

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watch

  [woch]
Use watch over in a Sentence
–verb (used without object)
1. to be alertly on the lookout, look attentively, or observe, as to see what comes, is done, or happens: to watch while an experiment is performed.
2. to look or wait attentively and expectantly (usually fol. by for): to watch for a signal; to watch for an opportunity.
3. to be careful or cautious: Watch when you cross the street.
4. to keep awake, esp. for a purpose; remain vigilant, as for protection or safekeeping: to watch with a sick person.
5. to keep vigil, as for devotional purposes.
6. to keep guard: She was assigned to watch at the door.
–verb (used with object)
7. to keep under attentive view or observation, as in order to see or learn something; view attentively or with interest: to watch a play; to watch a football game.
8. to contemplate or regard mentally: to watch his progress.
9. to look or wait attentively and expectantly for: to watch one's opportunity.
10. to guard, tend, or oversee, esp. for protection or safekeeping: to watch the baby.
–noun
11. close, continuous observation for the purpose of seeing or discovering something: Their watch for the birds was unrewarding.
12. vigilant guard, as for protection or restraint: to keep watch for prowlers.
13. a keeping awake for some special purpose: a watch beside a sickbed.
14. a period of time for watching or keeping guard: to stand the first watch.
15. a small, portable timepiece, as a wrist watch or pocket watch.
16. a chronometer.
17. Nautical.
a. a period of time, usually four hours, during which one part of a ship's crew is on duty, taking turns with another part.
b. the officers and crew who attend to the working of a ship for an allotted period of time.
18. one of the periods, usually three or four, into which the night was divided in ancient times, as by the Greeks or Hebrews: the fourth watch of the night.
19. a person or group that watches, as a lookout, guard, or sentinel: A watch was posted at sunset.
20. Also called storm watch. Meteorology. an announcement from the U.S. National Weather Service alerting the public that dangerous weather conditions are a possibility and that vigilance and precautionary preparations are advised: hurricane watch, tornado watch. Compare advisory (def. 5), warning (def. 3).
21. a flock of nightingales.
—Verb phrases
22. watch out, to be on one's guard; be cautious: Watch out for cars when you cross the road.
23. watch over, to guard for protection or safekeeping: She watched over us like a mother hen over her brood.
—Idioms
24. on the watch, vigilant; alert: The hunter was on the watch for game.
25. watch oneself,
a. to be cautious.
b. to practice discretion or self-restraint.
Origin:
bef. 900; 1580–90 for def. 15; (v.) ME wacchen, OE wæccan, doublet of wacian to be awake (see wake 1 ); (n.) ME wacche, OE wæcce, deriv. of wæccan

Synonyms:
1. Watch, look, see imply being aware of things around one by perceiving them through the eyes. To watch is to be a spectator, to look on or observe, or to fix the attention upon during passage of time: to watch while a procession passes. To look is to direct the gaze with the intention of seeing, to use the eyesight with attention: to look for violets in the spring; to look at articles displayed for sale. To see is to perceive with the eyes, to obtain a visual impression, with or without fixing the attention: animals able to see in the dark. 9. await. 10. protect. 11. inspection, attention. 12. vigil.
Dictionary.com Unabridged
Based on the Random House Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2009.
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watch   (wŏch)   
v.   watched, watch·ing, watch·es

v.   intr.

  1. To look or observe attentively or carefully; be closely observant: watching for trail markers.

  2. To look and wait expectantly or in anticipation: watch for an opportunity.

  3. To act as a spectator; look on: stood by the road and watched.

  4. To stay awake at night while serving as a guard, sentinel, or watcher.

  5. To stay alert as a devotional or religious exercise; keep vigil.

v.   tr.

  1. To look at steadily; observe carefully or continuously: watch a parade.

  2. To keep a watchful eye on; guard: watched the prisoner all day.

  3. To observe the course of mentally; keep up on or informed about: watch the price of gold.

  4. To tend (a flock, for example). See Synonyms at tend2.

n.  

  1. The act or process of keeping awake or mentally alert, especially for the purpose of guarding.

    1. The act of observing closely or the condition of being closely observed; surveillance.

    2. A period of close observation, often in order to discover something: a watch during the child's illness.

    3. Any of the periods of time, usually four hours, into which the day aboard ship is divided and during which a part of the crew is assigned to duty.

    4. The members of a ship's crew on duty during a specific watch.

    5. A chronometer on a ship.

    6. A period of wakefulness, especially one observed as a religious vigil.

    7. A funeral wake.

  3. A person or group of people serving, especially at night, to guard or protect.

  4. The post or period of duty of a guard, sentinel, or watcher.

  5. Any of the periods into which the night is divided; a part of the night.

  6. Nautical

    1. Any of the periods of time, usually four hours, into which the day aboard ship is divided and during which a part of the crew is assigned to duty.

    2. The members of a ship's crew on duty during a specific watch.

    3. A chronometer on a ship.

    4. A period of wakefulness, especially one observed as a religious vigil.

    5. A funeral wake.

    1. A period of wakefulness, especially one observed as a religious vigil.

    2. A funeral wake.

  8. A small portable timepiece, especially one worn on the wrist or carried in the pocket.

  9. A flock of nightingales. See Synonyms at flock1.

Phrasal Verb(s):
watch outTo be careful or on the alert; take care.
watch overTo be in charge of; superintend.

Idiom(s):
watch itTo be careful: had to watch it when I stepped onto the ice.

Idiom(s):
watch (one's) step

  1. To act or proceed with care and caution.

  2. To behave as is demanded, required, or appropriate.


[Middle English wacchen, from Old English wæccan, to watch, be awake; see weg- in Indo-European roots.]
The American Heritage® Dictionary of the English Language, Fourth Edition
Copyright © 2009 by Houghton Mifflin Company.
Published by Houghton Mifflin Company. All rights reserved.
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Word Origin & History

watch  (n.)
O.E. wæcce "a watching," from wæccan (see watch (v.)). Sense of "sentinel" is recorded from c.1300; that of "person or group officially patroling a town (esp. at night) to keep order, etc." is first recorded 1539. Meaning "period of time in which a division of a ship's crew remains on deck" is from 1585. Sense of "period into which a night was divided in ancient times" translates L. vigilia, Gk. phylake, Heb. ashmoreth.
"The Hebrews divided the night into three watches, the Greeks usually into four (sometimes five), the Romans (followed by the Jews in New Testament times) into four." [OED]
The meaning "small timepiece" is from 1588, developing from that of "a clock to wake up sleepers" (1440). Watchmaker is recorded from 1630; watchtower is attested from 1544.
Online Etymology Dictionary, © 2001 Douglas Harper
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Idioms & Phrases

watch over

Guard for protection or safekeeping, as in There were only two aides watching over that large group of children. This idiom was first recorded in 1526.

The American Heritage® Dictionary of Idioms by Christine Ammer.
Copyright © 1997. Published by Houghton Mifflin.
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