watchern.
/ˈwɒtʃə/, U.S. /ˈwɑtʃər/, /ˈwɔtʃər/ One who watches or keeps watch.† g. Astronomy (plural) = guard n. 12, warden n.1 1b.† i. watcher-in. A television viewer. Cf. watch v. 4h. Obsolete.
a. gen. Often const. of, also over.
ΘΚΠ
the world > physical sensation > sight and vision > one who sees > [noun] > watcher or look-out
showerOE
tootera1382
waiter1382
night watcha1400
scout-watcha1400
looker-out1562
night-watcher1569
watcher1572
scout1585
bishop1592
speculator1607
lookout1662
speculatory1775
lookout man1787
stagger1859
dog1870
eye1874
1572 J. Higgins Huloets Dict. (rev. ed.) Watcher, insidiator, insidiosus.
1611 B. Jonson Catiline iii. sig. F That will Antonius make his care..And watch the watcher.
1812 Examiner 23 Aug. 544/1 You heard the watchers exclaim—‘Put up the lights.’
1817 J. Keats Sonnets xi Then felt I like some watcher of the skies When a new planet swims into his ken.
1847 C. Dickens Dombey & Son (1848) xlii. 421 The smooth, sleek watcher of his slightest look and tone.
1859 Ld. Tennyson Vivien in Idylls of King 130 Sir Valence..Whose kinsman left him watcher o'er his wife And two fair babes.
1885 Manch. Examiner 29 May 5/3 Nothing is at present divulged to the public; but the eyes of interested watchers cannot be altogether closed.
b. Said of the eye. poetic.
ΘΚΠ
the world > life > the body > external parts of body > head > face > eye > [noun]
eyeeOE
the fleshly eyec1175
balla1400
window1481
glazier1567
light1580
crystal1592
orb1594
glass1597
optic1601
twinkler1605
lampa1616
watchera1616
wink-a-peeps1615
visive organa1652
ogle1673
peeper1691
goggle?1705
visual orb1725
orbit1727
winker1734
peep?1738
daylights?1747
eyewinker1808
keeker1808
glimmer1814
blinker1816
glim1820
goggler1821
skylight1824
ocular1825
mince pie1857
saucer1858
mince1937
a1616 W. Shakespeare Two Gentlemen of Verona (1623) ii. iv. 133 Loue hath chas'd sleepe from my enthralled eyes, And made them watchers of mine owne hearts sorrow. View more context for this quotation
1824 T. Hood Two Swans 108 On his doubtful face Gleam his unwearied eyes, red watchers of the place.
1847 Ld. Tennyson Princess iv. 81 To an eye like mine, A lidless watcher of the public weal, Last night, their mask was patent.
c. One who keeps awake at night. Also night watcher.
ΘΚΠ
the world > physical sensation > sleeping and waking > state of being awake > [noun] > one who stays awake
wakerc1290
watcher1509
1509 A. Barclay Brant's Shyp of Folys (Pynson) f. cxxiiii Of nyght watchers & beters of the stretes playnge by nyght on instrumentes & vsynge lyke Folyes whan tyme is to rest.
a1616 W. Shakespeare Macbeth (1623) ii. ii. 69 Get on your Night-Gowne, least occasion call vs, And shew vs to be Watchers . View more context for this quotation
1861 J. C. H. Fane & Ld. Lytton Tannhäuser 78 She kneel'd, A faded watcher through the weary night,..In deep, perpetual prayer for him she loved.
1867 M. E. Herbert Cradle Lands iv. 117 There two figures are kneeling, motionless and absorbed in prayer... Still the two watchers kneel on.
d. One who watches by a sick bed, or by the dead.
ΘΚΠ
the world > life > death > obsequies > [noun] > vigil or wake > one who
watcher?1553
waker1808
the world > health and disease > healing > healer > non-medical worker > [noun] > hospital attendant > watcher
watcher?1553
watch-woman1822
?1553–77 Life Fisher (Harl. 6382) (1921) 127 Whervpon two of the watchers tooke it [the dead body] vpon a halbert betweene them.
1764 T. Legg Low-life (ed. 3) 9 Women, called Watchers, in Hospitals, taking the Advantage of their Patients being asleep, to pick their Pockets.
1847 Ld. Tennyson Princess v. 97 And at her head a follower of the camp..Sat watching like a watcher by the dead.
1849 C. Brontë Shirley III. ii. 31 Then the watcher approaches the patient's pillow.
1885 Lancet 4 Apr. 630/1 Then there are the ‘watchers’, who belong to the Jewish community, and combine the office of a nurse with certain religious functions.
e. One who is occupied in watching; a watchman, guard, sentry, or the like. Also with defining word, as river-watcher, night-watcher n.
ΘΚΠ
the world > action or operation > safety > protection or defence > vigilance > keeping watch > [noun] > one who
waker1382
veilc1390
watch1484
watcher1525
observator1611
eye1837
watch-keeper1900
1525 Ld. Berners tr. J. Froissart Cronycles II. xlix. 61 b On ye mountaynes & hylles costyng the see..were set watche men & watchers in dyuers maners.
1838 Bentley's Misc. 3 274 An inspection was immediately carried on with an earnestness worthy of two watchers at a night-telegraph during a time of war.
1839 C. Dickens Nicholas Nickleby xxii. 203 The heavy footfall of the official watcher of the night.
1884 Manch. Examiner 10 Oct. 5/1 A river watcher..and two boys..lost their lives by the capsizing of a boat.
1896 H. G. Wells Wheels of Chance xvii There are detectives of an inferior description—watchers.
1897 S. R. Crockett Lads' Love xix. 203 The gamekeepers and water-bailiffs—the ‘watchers’ as they were called.
1904 Times 31 Mar. 9/4 Davies had first been an office-boy and was now a watcher.
f. as the title of a class of angels or of angels generally; tr. Aramaic ʿīr, one who is wakeful.
ΘΚΠ
the world > the supernatural > deity > angel > [noun]
ghosteOE
angelOE
Son of Goda1382
saint1382
angel (also spirit) of lightc1384
watcher1535
watchman1552
1535 Bible (Coverdale) Dan. iv. A & beholde, a watcher (euen an holy angel) came downe from heauen [euē (euen) in text].
1574 A. Gilby tr. Test. Twelue Patriarches f. 11 For by such meanes were ye Watchers deceiued before ye floud.
a1711 T. Ken Psyche v, in Wks. (1721) IV. 312 They Watchers are, and with obsequious Wing Leave Heav'n for Earth, God's Messages to bring.
1801 W. Taylor tr. Bk. Enoch in Monthly Mag. 11 20 All were afraid, even the watchers of the host.
1846 J. Keble Lyra Innocentium 26 And by those features,..Heaven's keen-eyed Watchers use to mete, Which mortals holy call.
a1908 C. Bigg Origins Christianity viii. 83 Six angels build the Tower: they are the Archangels, the First Created, the Watchers of Enoch.
ΘΚΠ
the world > the universe > constellation > Northern constellations > [noun] > Ursa Major > pointers
pointers1567
guard1574
watcher1588
the world > the universe > constellation > Northern constellations > [noun] > Ursa Minor > guardian(s)
guardian1555
warden1555
guard1574
watcher1588
watch-star1588
guard-star1690
1588 A. Ashley tr. L. J. Wagenaer Mariners Mirrour B 2 b When those Guardes or watchers of Vrsa minor being mounted higher.
1588 A. Ashley tr. L. J. Wagenaer Mariners Mirrour B 2 b The Guards or watchers are to be placed in this Instrument exactly opposite to their due place.
h. With preceding n. in objective relation, frequently hyphenated: an expert student or one who follows the affairs of (a particular person, country, or institution). colloquial (originally U.S.).
ΘΚΠ
the mind > mental capacity > knowledge > scholarly knowledge, erudition > learned person, scholar > [noun] > expert, specialist, authority
masterc1225
historian?a1439
authentic1613
scientiate1647
supernaturalist1659
authority1665
connoisseur1732
pundit1816
expert1825
specialist1839
past master1840
sharp1840
professional1846
beggar1859
specializer1868
passed master1882
buff1903
man1921
sharpshooter1942
sharpie1949
watcher1966
meister1975
the world > action or operation > ability > skill or skilfulness > [noun] > skilful person > skilled and knowledgeable person > in the affairs of a specific country, person, etc.
watcher1966
1966 N.Y. Times 27 Dec. 10/3 That was the major question of the ‘China watchers’ as Mao observed his birthday without public fanfare yesterday.
1971 N.Y. Post 20 Dec. 40 The Nixon-watchers..would construe Kissinger's return to Cambridge as a potential calamity.
1972 Jrnl. Linguistics 8 i. 125 MIT-watchers have lately been puzzled by a division within the movement.
1974 Guardian 26 Mar. 16/1 As one experienced Brussels-watcher put it yesterday, Mr Peart has discovered how flexible the Treaty of Accession can be.
1974 Times 10 Apr. 18/2 Kremlin-watchers study the pages of Pravda for the slight shift in nuance.
1975 Times 19 June 14/8 The meeting..achieved a level of futility which left even hardened EEC watchers groggy.
1976 New Yorker 8 Mar. 27/3 When Confucius first came under attack, professional China-watchers speculated that the criticism had allegorical overtones.
1978 Guardian Weekly 23 Apr. 17/3 A veteran Shah-watcher said, ‘He realises the extent of present and future problems.’
ΘΚΠ
society > communication > broadcasting > audience > [noun] > television viewer
viewer1914
looker-in1927
looker1928
watcher-in1928
televiewer1930
1928 Daily News 17 Dec. 6/4 Watchers-in will be able to judge for themselves the value of picture transmissions during this week.
This entry has not yet been fully updated (first published 1923; most recently modified version published online December 2021).
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