watchbirtht (wochberth)

[ Th' eternall Watch - births of thy sacred Wit. Sylvester , tr. of Du Bartas's Weeks, ii., The Magnificence. A sentry-box. while Clifford developed these symptoms of a distracted 5. A person, or number of persons, whose duty it is to watch over the persons, property, or interests of others; a watchman, or body of watchmen; a sentinel; a sentry; guard. Such, they say, as stand in narrow lanes, And beat our watch , and rob our pa engers. Shak., Rich. II., v. 3. 8. IMG:content-2100.png:[blocks in formation] 6. The period of time during which one person or body of persons watch or stand sentinel, or the time from one relief of sentinels to another; hence, a division of the night, when the precautionary setting of a watch is most generally nece ary; period of time; hour. The Jews, like the Greeks and Romans, divided the night into military watches instead of hours, each watch representing the period for which each separate body of sentinels remained on duty. The proper Jewish reckoning recognized only three such watches: the first (lasting from sunset till about 10 P. M.), the second or middle watch (10 P. M. to 2 A. M.), and the third, or morning watch (from 2 A. M. till sunrise). After the establishment of the Roman power they were increased to four, which were named as first, second, etc., or by the terms even, midnight, cock - crowing, and morning, these terminating respectively at 9 P. M., midnight, 3 A. M., and 6 A. M. 7. Naut.: ( a ) The period of time occupied by each part of a ship's crew alternately while on duty. The period of time called a watch is four hours, guarding, and protecting by day. Hence, when the terms were used in combination, especially in the phrase to keep watch and ward, they implied a continuous and uninterrupted watching and guarding, constant vigilance and protection by night and by day. It ys the Strongest towne of walls, towers, Bulwerks, waches and wardes that ever I saw in all my lyff. Torkington , Diarie of Eng. Travell, p. 16. I sawe at the towne of Braxima al the artillerie brought together to ye gates of your house; I saw watch and warde kept round about your lodging. Guevara , Letters (tr. by Hellowes, 1577), p. 246. IMG:content-2101.png:[blocks in formation] Were it not better for a man in a fair room to set up one great light, or branching candlestick of lights, than to ge about with a small watch candle into every corner? Bacon, Advancement of Learning, i. 45. 1. The outer case watchcase (woch'kās), n. for a watch. Formerly it was often a hinged cover or box fitted closely over the watch proper, and having open- ings through which the dial appeared and the stem or ring projected. In modern watches this feature is gen- erally absent, and the watchcase is the metal cover, usual- watch (woch), v. [ wæccan , watch, wake: see wakel , v ., and cf. watch , n.] I. in trans. 1. To be awake; be or continue without sleep; keep vigil. But if nece itie compell you to watch longer then ord i- nary, then be sure to augment your sleepe the next morn- ing. Babees Book (E. E. T. S.), p. 252. As soon as I am dead, Come all and watch one night about my hearse. Beau . and Fl . , Maid's Tragedy, ii. 1. 2. To be attentive, circumspect, or vigilant; be closely observant; notice carefully; give heed. Watch and pray, that ye enter not into temptation. Mat. xxvi. 41. Rooks, watching doubtfully as you pa in the distance, rise into the air if you stop. H. Spencer , Prin. of Sociol., § 62. 3. To act as a watchman, guard, sentinel, or the like; keep watch. We now never see watch - cases made of other materials than the precious metals, or imitations thereof; but then [reign of Queen Anne] beautiful cases were made of shagreen of various colours, or tortoiseshell inlaid or studded with gold. J. Ashton , Social Life in Reign of Queen Anne, I. 159. 2. Same as watch - pocket .-31. A sentry-box. [Rare.] O thou dull god [sleep], why liest thou with the vile In loathsome beds, and leavest the kingly couch A watch - case , or a common 'larum-bell? Shak., 2 Hen. IV., iii. 1. 17. watchcase-cutter (woch'kās-kut"ėr), n. A machine for cutting hinge-rece es in watchcases. E. H. Knight. watch-clock (woch'klok), n . 11. An alarum. Powrfull Need (Arts ancient Dame and Keeper, The early watch - clock of the sloathfull sleeper). Sylvester , tr. of Du Bartas's Weeks, ii., The Handy-Crafts. IMG:content-2102.png:[blocks in formation] reporter for a watchman. It is made in many forms, One kind is a small portable clock that must be carried by the watchman to different stations on his rounds. At each station a special key fastened to a chain must be used to make a mark on a paper dial inside the clock, thus making a record of the performance of his duty. Another form consists of a fixed clock, having a key that must be touched to make the record, a clock being placed at each station. Another and now more common form is a clock placed at a central station, and connected by wires with the place where the watchman makes his rounds; at each station the watchman touches a push button to close the circuit and print a mark on a dial in the clock.