I. watch 1 S1 W1 /wɒtʃ $ wɑːtʃ, wɒːtʃ/ BrE AmE verb
[ Word Family: noun : ↑ watch , ↑ watcher ; adjective : ↑ watchful , ↑ watchable ; verb : ↑ watch ]
[ Language: Old English ; Origin: wæccan ]
1 . LOOK [intransitive and transitive] to look at someone or something for a period of time, paying attention to what is happening:
Do you mind if I watch?
We sat and watched the sunset.
watch carefully/closely/intently etc
He watched helplessly as Paula fell into the icy water.
Watch carefully. You may learn something.
watch (somebody/something) with interest/amusement/delight etc
Harriet watched him with interest.
watch somebody/something do/doing something
I watched him go, then went home.
Ruth could not bear to watch her parents arguing.
watch to do something
I watched to see how he’d react.
watch television/a film etc
The debate was watched by 97 million viewers.
Most parents don’t know what their kids are watching on TV.
watch what/how/when etc
It’s useful to watch how other pilots handle the glider.
2 . BE CAREFUL [transitive] to act carefully in order to avoid an accident or unwanted situation
watch (that)
Watch he doesn’t run into the road.
She’s a student and has to watch her budget closely.
Watch your head on the shelf.
watch what/how/where etc
Silly old fool! Why doesn’t he watch where he’s going?
Watch what you’re doing! It’s spilling everywhere!
Watch yourself (=be careful) in Madrid; there are some rough areas.
watch what you say/your tongue/your language/your mouth etc (=be careful not to hurt or offend people by what you say)
Employees should watch what they say in personal emails.
watch your weight/watch what you eat (=be careful not to get fat)
He may be a former athlete, but he still has to watch his weight.
3 . PAY ATTENTION [transitive] to pay attention to a situation that interests or worries you to see how it develops
watch closely/carefully
American companies are watching Japanese developments closely.
The government will watch the progress of these schemes with interest.
4 . CARE FOR [transitive] to stay with someone or something so that nothing bad happens to them:
She watches the kids for us occasionally.
5 . SECRETLY [transitive] to secretly watch a person or place:
I feel like I’m being watched.
6 . watch your step informal to be careful, especially about making someone angry:
He soon saw he’d have to watch his step with some of these guys.
7 . watch your back informal to be careful because other people may try to harm you
8 . watch the clock informal to keep looking at the time because you are worried or bored:
anxious mums watching the clock
9 . watch the time to make sure you know what time it is to avoid being late
10 . watch it spoken used to warn someone to be careful:
Watch it, there’s a car.
11 . watch this space informal used to tell people to pay attention in the future because things are going to develop further – used especially in newspapers
12 . one to watch someone or something that people should pay attention to because they are interesting or exciting:
In the tournament so far, Italy’s Stefania Croce looks like the one to watch.
13 . watch the world go by to relax outside by just looking at the people around you:
lingering in a pavement café, watching the world go by
14 . you watch informal used to tell someone that you know what will happen:
He’ll win this time, you watch.
⇨ watch somebody like a hawk at ↑ hawk 1
• • •
COLLOCATIONS
■ nouns
▪ watch television
We watched television all evening.
▪ watch a programme/film/show
They were watching a film on TV.
■ adverbs
▪ closely
I watched him closely while he was giving his evidence.
▪ carefully
She watched very carefully and did exactly as he did.
▪ helplessly
He watched helplessly as his son was swept away by the waves.
▪ intently (=with a lot of attention)
Her father was watching her intently as she worked.
■ phrases
▪ with interest/amusement etc
A small crowd of people were watching them with interest.
▪ in horror/amazement etc
He watched in horror as the flames engulfed his house.
• • •
THESAURUS
▪ watch to look at someone or something for a period of time and pay attention to what is happening:
They were all watching the game.
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I watched him get out of his car.
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We are watching carefully to see how the situation develops.
▪ keep an eye on somebody/something to watch someone or something carefully so that you are prepared if anything bad happens:
The doctors are keeping a careful eye on her.
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Can you keep an eye on my bag for me?
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Keep an eye on house prices before you decide to sell.
▪ observe to watch someone or something carefully in order to learn more about them:
A 24-hour camera is being used to observe the birds’ behaviour.
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During your teacher training you will be encouraged to observe lessons.
▪ monitor to watch a situation carefully to see how it changes over a period of time:
Class teachers are responsible for monitoring the progress of each student.
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Economists are monitoring the situation carefully.
▪ spy on somebody to watch someone secretly in order to find out what they are doing:
He hired a private detective to spy on her.
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In the 1960s, government agencies were spying on everybody.
■ someone who watches something
▪ spectator someone who watches an event, especially a sports event:
There were 4,500 spectators at the game.
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a crowd of spectators
▪ viewer someone who watches television:
Millions of television viewers listened to the President’s speech.
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programmes for younger viewers
▪ audience the people who watch a play or performance, or the people who watch a particular television programme:
The audience roared with laughter and clapped.
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It attracted a television audience of seven million.
▪ onlooker someone who watches something happening without being involved in it, especially in the street:
A man was standing on the roof, watched by a crowd of onlookers below.
▪ observer someone who watches and pays attention to particular situations and events, because they are interested in them, or it is their job:
She was a shrewd observer of human nature.
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a political observer who writes for The Independent newspaper
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The United Nations has sent military observers to the Sudan.
watch (out) for something phrasal verb
to pay close attention in a particular situation because you are expecting something to happen or you want to avoid something bad:
She stepped outside to watch for the cab.
What problems should I watch out for when buying an old house?
watch out phrasal verb informal
used to tell someone to be careful:
You’ll become an alcoholic if you don’t watch out.
watch over somebody phrasal verb
to protect someone so that they are not harmed:
There must have been an angel watching over me that day.
II. watch 2 S2 W3 BrE AmE noun
[ Word Family: noun : ↑ watch , ↑ watcher ; adjective : ↑ watchful , ↑ watchable ; verb : ↑ watch ]
1 . [countable] a small clock that you wear on your wrist or keep in your pocket:
My watch has stopped.
look at/glance at/consult your watch
She glanced nervously at her watch.
How do you keep track of time if you don’t wear a watch?
2 . [singular, uncountable] when you watch someone or something carefully, or pay careful attention to them, so that you are ready to act if necessary:
The police arrived to keep watch on the mouth of the tunnel.
watch on/over
He maintained a 24-hour watch over his son.
Security forces kept a close watch on our activities.
3 . keep a watch out for somebody/something ( also be on the watch for somebody/something ) to be looking and waiting for something that might happen or someone you might see, especially so that you can avoid danger, trouble etc:
Be on the watch for anything suspicious.
4 . [countable] a group of people whose job is to guard or protect someone or something:
We were arrested and held until the arrival of the night watch (=people responsible for keeping the streets safe at night, especially in past times) .
⇨ ↑ neighbourhood watch
5 . [uncountable and countable] a period of time when it is someone’s duty to stay somewhere and look for signs of danger:
The first watch is from now until midnight.
on watch
Who’s on watch tonight?
• • •
COLLOCATIONS
■ verbs
▪ look at/glance at your watch
I looked at my watch. It was 4.30.
▪ check/consult your watch
He checked his watch and saw that it was only 2.15.
▪ a watch says ...
My watch says twenty past one.
▪ put your watch forward (=make it show a later time)
The passengers were reminded to put their watches forward three hours.
▪ put your watch back (=make it show an earlier time)
On Saturday night, don’t forget to put your watch back an hour.
▪ set your watch (=make it show the correct time)
I set my watch by the clock on the mantelpiece.
▪ wear a watch
He wore a gold watch.
▪ a watch stops
Her watch had stopped after getting wet in the sea.
■ adjectives
▪ sb’s watch is fast/runs fast (=it shows a later time)
No, it’s only 12.15 – your watch must be fast.
▪ sb’s watch is slow/runs slow (=it shows an earlier time)
'He’s late.' 'Maybe his watch is running slow.'