midwatch

Thân thiện

A sailor stands the midwatch on the ship's deck.

Definition

Noun: - A watch during the night: Specifically, a period of duty or a shift on a ship, typically lasting four hours, that occurs during the middle of the night. The most common usage refers to the watch from midnight to 4 a.m. (or sometimes to 8 a.m.).

Usage

The term "midwatch" is primarily used in a nautical or military context to describe a scheduled period of work or vigilance during the night. It denotes a specific, often challenging, shift due to its timing.

Examples

• Noun:
  • The sailor was assigned the midwatch and had to be on deck from midnight until four.
  • During the midwatch, the ocean was calm and the stars were brilliantly clear.

Advanced Usage

• "To stand the midwatch": To be on duty for the midwatch shift.
  • As a junior officer, he often had to stand the midwatch.

Variants and Related Words

• Middle watch: A direct synonym for "midwatch," also meaning the watch from midnight to 4 a.m.
• Night watch: A more general term for any period of duty during the night.
• Watch: A period of duty, especially on a ship, traditionally divided into shifts.

Synonyms

• Middle watch
• Graveyard watch (informal)

Related Phrases

• Dog watch: A shorter watch period, typically from 4 p.m. to 6 p.m. or 6 p.m. to 8 p.m., used to rotate the standard watch schedule.

Học thuật

Noun

1. a watch during the night (as from midnight to 8 a.m.)

Từ đồng nghĩa

• graveyard watch
• middle watch
• night watch