night-watch

The night-watch makes its rounds through the quiet town.

Definition

1. Noun:
   • A period of guarding or watching during the night: "night-watch" refers to the act or duty of keeping watch, especially during the hours of darkness, often for security or safety purposes.
   • A person or group assigned to guard at night: "night-watch" can also denote an individual or a team responsible for patrolling or monitoring an area during the night.
   • A shift or spell of night duty: In a broader sense, "night-watch" means a scheduled period of nighttime surveillance or vigilance.

Usage Examples

• Noun:
  • The castle employed a night-watch to patrol the walls after sunset. (A guard or group guarding during the night.)
  • He worked the night-watch from midnight until dawn. (A shift of nighttime duty.)
  • The night-watch reported no unusual activity during their rounds. (The person or team on night duty.)

Advanced Usage

• "to keep night-watch": to perform the act of guarding or observing during the night.

  • Soldiers kept night-watch over the camp to prevent surprise attacks. (They remained vigilant throughout the night.)

• "the night-watch" (as a collective): the entire group of guards or watchers active at night.

  • The night-watch was well-trained and alert. (The team of night guards was prepared.)

Variants and Related Words

• Night-watchman (n): a person employed to guard a building or area at night.

  • The night-watchman checked the doors every hour. (A specific individual performing night guard duty.)

• Night-watching (n): the activity or practice of keeping watch at night.

  • Night-watching requires keen hearing and patience. (The continuous act of nighttime surveillance.)

Synonyms

• Night guard: a person or group that protects at night.
• Night patrol: a group that moves about to maintain security during the night.
• Vigil: a period of staying awake during the night to watch or pray (often has a religious or solemn connotation).

Related Idioms

• "the dead of night": the quietest and darkest part of the night, often when a night-watch is most active.

  • The night-watch was especially vigilant in the dead of night. (During the deepest part of the night.)

• "watch like a hawk": to observe very carefully, similar to the attentiveness of a night-watch.

  • The night-watch watched like a hawk for any movement. (They observed with extreme alertness.)