watch
- 01 A1 Beginner
v.to look at someone or something for a period of time, especially something that moves.
v.to look at or observe attentively over a period of time. Ambitransitive — can be used with or without a direct object.
Simple“We sat on the bench and watched the people walking through the park.”
In context“The researchers watched the birds for several hours, documenting every interaction between the nesting pairs and their offspring.”
PitfallI watched to the television for an hour. I watched television for an hour.Unlike 'look', the verb 'watch' does not take the preposition 'to' before its object.
- 02 A2 Elementary
v.to take care of something or someone for a short time to make sure they are safe.
v.to keep under attentive view or to maintain guard over someone or something.
Simple“Could you watch my bag for a minute while I go to the bathroom?”
In context“The shepherd stayed awake all night to watch the flock, fearing that wolves might approach from the nearby forest.”
- 03 B1 Intermediate
v.to be careful about something or pay attention to a danger.
v.to exercise caution or be vigilant regarding a potential risk or specific detail.
Simple“You should watch your step on these icy stairs.”
In context“Investors are advised to watch the market closely, as sudden policy changes could affect stock prices overnight.”
Synonymsbe carefulmind - 04 A1 Beginner
n.a small clock that you wear on your wrist or carry in your pocket.
n.a portable timepiece designed to be worn on the wrist or carried in a pocket.
Simple“He looked at his watch and realised he was ten minutes late for the meeting.”
In context“She received a gold watch as a retirement gift, engraved with her years of service to the company.”
Synonymstimepiecewristwatch - 05 B2 Upper Intermediate
n.a period of time when someone stays awake to guard a place, especially on a ship.
n.a period of duty for guarding or observing, particularly one of the shifts into which the day is divided on a ship.
Simple“The sailor finished his watch at midnight and went to his cabin to sleep.”
In context“During the storm, the captain ordered extra crew members to remain on watch to ensure the vessel stayed on course.”
UsageOften used with 'on' or 'off', as in 'on watch'.
watch vs look at — Look at is the act of directing your eyes toward a stationary target; watch is the act of observing something in motion or progress over time.
watch vs look vs see — Look is the intentional direction of the eyes, see is the automatic perception of an image, and watch is the sustained observation of something in motion.
watch vs look — Look is the act of directing your eyes toward something, while watch is the act of paying attention to something in motion over time.
watch vs see — See is the passive reception of light; watch is the active focus on a moving target.
Usage watch the eclipse · watch videos
As a noun, from Middle English wacche, from Old English wæċċe. See below for verb form.
From Middle English wacchen, from Old English wæċċan, from Proto-West Germanic wakkjan, from Proto-Germanic wakjaną.
Etymology adapted from Wiktionary, available under CC BY-SA 4.0.