the act of watching; forbearance of sleep; vigil; wakeful, vigilant, or constantly observant attention; close observation; guard; preservative or preventive vigilance; formerly, a watching or guarding by night.-one who watches, or those who watch; a watchman, or a body of watchmen; a sentry; a guard.-the post or office of a watchman; also, the place where a watchman is posted, or where a guard is kept.-the period of the night during which a person does duty as a sentinel, or guard; the time from the placing of a sentinel till his relief; hence, a division of the night.-a small timepiece, or chronometer, to be carried about the person, the machinery of which is moved by a spring.-an allotted portion of time, usually four hour for standing watch, or being on deck ready for duty.   cf. dogwatch.-that part, usually one half, of the officers and crew, who together attend to the working of a vessel for an allotted time, usually four hours. the watches are designated as the port watch, and the starboard watch.-to be awake; to be or continue without sleep; to wake; to keep vigil.-to be attentive or vigilant; to give heed; to be on the lookout; to keep guard; to act as sentinel.-to be expectant; to look with expectation; to wait; to seek opportunity.-to remain awake with any one as nurse or attendant; to attend on the sick during the night; as, to watch with a man in a fever.-to serve the purpose of a watchman by floating properly in its place; -- said of a buoy.-to give heed to; to observe the actions or motions of, for any purpose; to keep in view; not to lose from sight and observation; as, to watch the progress of a bill in the legislature.-to tend; to guard; to have in keeping.