释义 |
WordReference Random House Learner's Dictionary of American English © 2024watch /wɑtʃ/USA pronunciation v. - to look (at) with attention;
observe: [no object]The children watched carefully as the magician removed a rabbit from his hat.[~ + object]had a feeling that he was being watched.[~ + object + root form of verb]watched the magician remove a rabbit from the hat.[~ + object + verb-ing]The children watched the magician removing a rabbit from his hat. - to view with attention or interest:[~ + object]to watch TV.
- to wait with attention:[no object]We watched for the signal.
- to be careful or cautious:[no object* (~ + out)]Watch (out) when you cross the street.
- to guard, take care of, or tend, so as to prevent harm or danger from happening to (oneself or another):[~ + object]Watch the baby while I go to the store.
- watch over, [~ + object] to safeguard;
protect:watched over her and protected her from harm. n. - close, continuous observation or guard:[countable* usually singular]kept a close watch on the patient.
- Time[countable] a portable timepiece, as a wristwatch.
- Naval Terms
- Nautical[uncountable] a period of time, usually four hours, during which a part of a ship's crew is on duty.
- Nautical[countable] the crew who are on duty during this time.
- [countable] a lookout, guard, or sentinel.
Idioms- Idioms on the watch, vigilant;
alert. - Idioms watch it, Informal. to be careful, alert, or esp. cautious regarding one's behavior.
- Idioms watch oneself, to practice caution or exhibit careful behavior.
Idioms watch one's step, to proceed with caution. watch•er, n. [countable] WordReference Random House Unabridged Dictionary of American English © 2024watch (woch),USA pronunciation v.i. - 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.
- to look or wait attentively and expectantly (usually fol. by for):to watch for a signal; to watch for an opportunity.
- to be careful or cautious:Watch when you cross the street.
- to keep awake, esp. for a purpose;
remain vigilant, as for protection or safekeeping:to watch with a sick person. - to keep vigil, as for devotional purposes.
- to keep guard:She was assigned to watch at the door.
v.t. - 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. - to contemplate or regard mentally:to watch his progress.
- to look or wait attentively and expectantly for:to watch one's opportunity.
- to guard, tend, or oversee, esp. for protection or safekeeping:to watch the baby.
- watch oneself:
- to be cautious.
- to practice discretion or self-restraint.
- watch out, to be on one's guard;
be cautious:Watch out for cars when you cross the road. - watch over, to guard for protection or safekeeping:She watched over us like a mother hen over her brood.
n. - close, continuous observation for the purpose of seeing or discovering something:Their watch for the birds was unrewarding.
- vigilant guard, as for protection or restraint:to keep watch for prowlers.
- a keeping awake for some special purpose:a watch beside a sickbed.
- a period of time for watching or keeping guard:to stand the first watch.
- Timea small, portable timepiece, as a wrist watch or pocket watch.
- Timea chronometer.
- [Naut.]
- Nauticala period of time, usually four hours, during which one part of a ship's crew is on duty, taking turns with another part.
- Nauticalthe officers and crew who attend to the working of a ship for an allotted period of time.
- Antiquityone 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.
- a person or group that watches, as a lookout, guard, or sentinel:A watch was posted at sunset.
- MeteorologyAlso called storm watch. 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.Cf. advisory (def. 5), warning (def. 3).
- a flock of nightingales.
- on the watch, vigilant;
alert:The hunter was on the watch for game.
- bef. 900; 1580–90 for def. 18; (verb, verbal) Middle English wacchen, Old English wæccan, doublet of wacian to be awake (see wake1); (noun, nominal) Middle English wacche, Old English wæcce, derivative of wæccan
- 1.See corresponding entry in Unabridged 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.See corresponding entry in Unabridged await.
- 10.See corresponding entry in Unabridged protect.
- 14.See corresponding entry in Unabridged inspection, attention.
- 15.See corresponding entry in Unabridged vigil.
Collins Concise English Dictionary © HarperCollins Publishers:: watch /wɒtʃ/ vb - to look at or observe closely or attentively
- (intransitive) followed by for: to wait attentively or expectantly
- to guard or tend (something) closely or carefully
- (intransitive) to keep vigil
- (transitive) to maintain an interest in: to watch the progress of a child at school
- watch it! ⇒ be careful! look out!
n - a small portable timepiece, usually worn strapped to the wrist (a wristwatch) or in a waistcoat pocket
- (as modifier): a watch spring
- a period of vigil, esp during the night
- (formerly) one of a set of periods of any of various lengths into which the night was divided
- any of the usually four-hour periods beginning at midnight and again at noon during which part of a ship's crew are on duty
- those officers and crew on duty during a specified watch
- the period during which a guard is on duty
- (formerly) a watchman or band of watchmen
- on the watch ⇒ on the lookout; alert
See also watch outEtymology: Old English wæccan (vb), wæcce (n); related to wake1 Collins Concise English Dictionary © HarperCollins Publishers:: -watch suffix - indicating a regular television programme or newspaper feature on the topic specified: Crimewatch
Collins Concise English Dictionary © HarperCollins Publishers:: quartz clock, watch n - a clock or watch that is operated by the vibrations of a quartz crystal controlled by a microcircuit
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