Vigil

vij′il, n. watching: keeping awake for religious exercises: the eve before a feast or fast day, originally kept by watching through the night.— n. Vig′ilance , wakefulne : watchfulne : circumspection: ( obs. ) a guard, watch.— adj. Vig′ilant , watchful: on the lookout for danger: circumspect.— n. Vigilan′te , a member of a vigilance committee.— adv. Vig′ilantly .— Vigilance committee ( U.S. ), an unauthorised body which, in the absence or inefficiency of regular courts, exercises legal powers of arrest, punishment, . in cases of gro crime: also any self-appointed a ociation for the compulsory improvement of local morals. [Fr.,—L. vigilia — vigil , awake, watchful— vigēre , to be lively.]