:to keep vigil as a devotional exercise :to be awake during the night :to be attentive or vigilant :to keep guard :to keep someone or something under close observation :to observe as a spectator the country watched as stocks fell sharply :to be expectant :wait watch for the signal transitive verb 1 :to keep under guard :to observe closely in order to check on action or change being watched by the police :to look at :observe sat and watched the crowd :to look on at watch television watch a ball game :to take care of :tend :to be careful of watches his diet :to be on the alert for :bide watched her opportunity watch it :look out :be careful watch it when you handle the glassware watch one's step :to proceed with extreme care :act or talk warily watch over :to have charge of :superintend :the act of keeping awake to guard, protect, or attend :the state of being wakeful :a wake over a dead body :a state of alert and continuous attention :close observation :surveillance :a notice or bulletin that alerts the public to the possibility of severe weather conditions occurring in the near future a winter storm watch :any of the definite divisions of the night made by ancient peoples :one of the indeterminate intervals marking the passage of night usually used in plural the silent watches of the night :lookout watchman :the office or function of a sentinel or guard :a body of soldiers or sentinels making up a guard :a watchman or body of watchmen formerly assigned to patrol the streets of a town at night, announce the hours, and act as police :a portion of time during which a part of a ship's company is on duty :the part of a ship's company required to be on duty during a particular watch :a sailor's assigned duty period :a period of duty :shift :a term as holder especially of an overseeing or managerial office the business grew on her watch :a portable timepiece designed to be worn (as on the wrist) or carried in the pocket compare clock :continuous unbroken vigilance and guard