dogwatch
Noun: 1. A short period of duty on a ship, specifically either of two two-hour watches: The term "dogwatch" refers to one of two short watches (periods of duty) on a traditional sailing ship, intended to shift the daily watch schedule so that sailors do not have the same watch every day. The two dogwatches are typically from 4:00 PM to 6:00 PM (the first dogwatch) and from 6:00 PM to 8:00 PM (the second or last dogwatch).
- Noun:
- The sailor was assigned to the first dogwatch, from four to six in the evening.
- During the dogwatch, the crew often had a lighter meal.
- The schedule rotated so that no one was stuck with the same dogwatch every day.
- "to stand the dogwatch": To be on duty during a dogwatch.
- The new recruit had to stand the dogwatch for his first week.
- Watch (noun): A period of duty, typically four hours, during which part of a ship's crew is responsible for operating the vessel.
- First dogwatch: The dogwatch from 4:00 PM to 6:00 PM.
- Last dogwatch / Second dogwatch: The dogwatch from 6:00 PM to 8:00 PM.
- Short watch: A general term for a watch period shorter than the standard.
- Evening watch: A descriptive term for a watch occurring in the evening hours.
The primary and almost exclusive meaning of "dogwatch" is nautical, relating to the specific short watches on a ship. Its use outside of a historical or maritime context is rare. The origin of the term is uncertain but may be a corruption of "docked watch" or relate to it being a curtailed or "docked" period, or perhaps because it is a time when sailors could "dodge" the regular watch routine.
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either of two short watches: from 4-6 pm or 6-8 pm
