VIGIL


Meaning of VIGIL in English

transcription, транскрипция: [ ˈvi-jəl ]

noun

Etymology: Middle English vigile, from Anglo-French, from Late Latin & Latin; Late Latin vigilia watch on the eve of a feast, from Latin, wakefulness, watch, from vigil awake, watchful; akin to Latin vigēre to be vigorous, vegēre to enliven — more at wake

Date: 13th century

1.

a. : a watch formerly kept on the night before a religious feast with prayer or other devotions

b. : the day before a religious feast observed as a day of spiritual preparation

c. : evening or nocturnal devotions or prayers — usually used in plural

2. : the act of keeping awake at times when sleep is customary ; also : a period of wakefulness

3. : an act or period of watching or surveillance : watch

kept vigil at her bedside

Merriam-Webster's Collegiate English vocabulary.      Энциклопедический словарь английского языка Merriam Webster.