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Bible Dictionaries
Watch
King James Dictionary
or WATCH, n. It is from the same root as wake, which see.
1. Forbearance of sleep.
2. Attendance without sleep.
All the long night their mournful watch they keep.
3. Attention close observation. Keep watch of the suspicious man.
4. Guard vigilance for keeping or protecting against danger.
He kept both watch and ward.
5. A watchman, or watchmen men set for a guard, either one person or more, set to espy the approach of an enemy or other danger, and to give an alarm or notice of such danger a sentinel a guard. He kept a watch at the gate.
Ye have a watch go your way, make it as sure as ye can. Matthew 27 .
6. The place where a guard is kept.
He upbraids I ago, that he made him brave me upon the watch.
7. Post or office of a watchman.
As I did stand my watch upon the hill--
8. A period of the night, in which one person or one set of persons stand as sentinels or the time from one relief of sentinels to another. This period among the Israelites, seems to have been originally four hours, but was afterwards three hours, and there were four watches during the night. Hence we read in Scripture of the morning watch, and of the second, third and fourth watch the evening watch commencing at six oclock, the second at nine, the third at twelve, and the fourth at three in the morning. Exodus 14 . Matthew 14 . Luke 12 .
9. A small time piece or chronometer, to be carried in the pocket or about the person, in which the machinery is moved by a spring.
10. At sea, the space of time during which one set or division of the crew remain on deck to perform the necessary duties. This is different in different nations.
To be on the watch, to be looking steadily for some event.
WATCH,
1. To be awake to be or continue without sleep.
I have two nights watchd with you.
2. To be attentive to look with attention or steadiness. Watch and see when the man passes.
3. To look with expectation.
My soul waiteth for the Lord more than they that watch for the morning. Psalms 130 .
4. To keep guard to act as sentinel to look for danger.
He gave signal to the minister that watchd.
5. To be attentive to be vigilant in preparation for an event or trial, the time of whose arrival is uncertain.
Watch therefore for ye know not what hour your Lord doth come. Matthew 24 .
6. To be insidiously attentive as, to watch for an opportunity to injure another.
7. To attend on the sick during the night as, to watch with a man in a fever.
To watch over, to be cautiously observant of to inspect, superintend and guard from error and danger. It is our duty constantly to watch over our own conduct and that of our children.
WATCH,
1. To guard to have in keeping.
Flaming ministers watch and tend their charge.
2. To observe in ambush to lie in wait for.
Saul also sent messengers to Davids house to watch him, and to slay him. 1 Samuel 19 .
3. To tend to guard.
Paris watched the flocks in the groves of Ida.
4. To observe in order to detect or prevent, or for some particular purpose as, to watch a suspected person to watch the progress of a bill in the legislature.
Dictionary of Words from the King James Bible. Public Domain. Copy freely.
Material presented was supplied by Brandon Staggs and was derived from the KJV Dictionary found on his website located at av1611.com.
The unabridged 1828 version of this dictionary in the SwordSearcher Bible Software.
Entry for 'Watch'. King James Dictionary. https://www.studylight.org/dictionaries/eng/kjd/w/watch.html.
