watch

1 verb

1 LOOK AT (I, T) to look at and pay attention to something that is happening: Do you want to join in or just sit and watch? | watch sb/sth: Harriet watched the man with interest as he walked in. | watch sb do/doing sth: Jack watched them slowly climb the wall. | watch television/a video/a film etc: The Presidential debate was watched by over 10 million people. | watch what/how/when etc: Watch how I do it.

2 BE CAREFUL (T) to be careful with something: watch (that): Watch the milk doesn't boil over. | watch what/how/where etc: Watch what you're doing with that knife! | watch your weight (=be careful not to get fat)

3 LOOK AFTER (T) to look after someone or something so that nothing bad happens to them: Can you watch the kids for a couple of hours tonight?

4 SECRETLY (T) to secretly watch a person or place: I feel like I'm being watched.

5 watch yourself to control how you behave or what you do: I have to watch myself when it comes to eating chocolate.

6 watch your step informal used to warn someone to be careful, especially about making someone angry: You'd better watch your step or you'll be in trouble again.

7 watch the clock informal to keep checking to see if it is time to stop what you are doing, instead of doing it

8 watch this space informal an expression used especially in newspapers to tell people to wait because things are going to develop further

9 watch the world go by to spend time looking at what is happening around you: Bill likes to sit in the park and watch the world go by.

10 watch the time to make sure you know what time it is to avoid being late for something

11 watch it!

a) used to tell someone to be more careful, especially in a dangerous situation: Watch it! You nearly knocked my head off with that ladder!

b) used to threaten someone: Just watch it, right, or I'll get you!

12 watch yourself used to warn someone to be careful not to hurt themselves, get into danger etc: Hey, watch yourself, that's very hot!

13 watch this/just watch used to make someone watch you while you do something: Watch this! I'm going to balance this bottle on my nose.

14 you watch used to tell someone to watch something because you know what is going to happen: You watch. Every time she goes out he follows her.

15 watch what you're doing used to tell someone to do something more carefully: Watch what you're doing! You're spilling it everywhere.

16 watch your mouth used to tell someone rudely or angrily to be careful what they say: You'd better watch your mouth, young man!

watch for phrasal verb (T) to wait and be ready something: The prisoners watched for a chance to escape watch out phrasal verb (intransitive usually in imperative) spoken used to tell someone to be careful: Watch out! There's a car coming. watch out for sth/sb phrasal verb (T)

1 to keep looking and waiting for someone or something: Watch out for a tall man in a black hat.

2 to be careful of something: You have to watch out for fast traffic along here.

watch over sb/sth phrasal verb (T) to guard or take care of someone or something: a shepherd watching over his sheep 2 noun

1 CLOCK (C) a small clock that you wear on your wrist or carry in your pocket: My watch has stopped.

2 ACT OF WASHING (singular, uncountable) the act of watching something carefully in order to warn people of any danger: keep watch: I kept watch while the others slept.

3 keep a (close) watch on

a) to check a situation carefully so that you always know what is happening and are ready to deal with it: UN forces are keeping a close watch on the area.

b) to watch someone carefully, either because you think they may be doing something illegal, or in order to make sure they are safe: Police kept a 24-hour watch on the house.

4 keep a watch out for to look carefully in order to try and find someone or something, while you are doing other things

5 be on the watch (for) to be looking and waiting for something that might happen or someone you might see: You should always be on the watch for pickpockets.

6 PEOPLE (C) a group of people employed to guard or protect someone or something

7 GUARDING STH (C, U) a fixed period of the day or night when a group of people must look carefully for any signs of danger or attack: the first watch | be on watch: Who's on watch tonight?

8 the watches of the night poetical a period of the night when you are awake

9 the (night) watch the group of policemen in former times who were responsible for keeping a town or city safe at night

—see also: neighbourhood watch