midwatch
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.
Noun
-
a watch during the night (as from midnight to 8 a.m.)
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