| 释义 |
ˈnight-watch
[f. night n. + watch n.]
1. A watch or guard kept during the night; the time during which such a watch is kept.
c1000Ags. Gosp. Luke ii. 8 Hyrdas..waciende & niht wæccan healdende ofer heora heorda. 1611Cotgr., Patrouille, a still night-watch in warre. 1667Milton P.L. iv. 780 The Cherubim..stood armed To thir night watches in warlike Parade. 1671F. Philipps Reg. Necess. 580 The Constables of every Parish in London..can in their Night-watches command better men than themselves to the compters or London Prisons. 1812S. Rogers Voy. Columbus v. 25 Oft in the silent night-watch. 1829Marryat F. Mildmay vii, I..determined to have one of those great coats..to keep me warm in night-watches. 1884J. Gilmour Mongols 5 Taking my turn in the night-watch against thieves.
attrib.1588Shakes. L.L.L. iii. i. 178 A Criticke, Nay, a night-watch Constable.
2. The person or persons engaged in watching by night.
c1400Destr. Troy 7352 Nightwacche for to wake, waites to blow. c1400Siege Jerus. 41/728 Þe nyȝt wacche to þe walle & waytes to blowe. 1530Palsgr. 248/1 Night watche, eschaulnetes. 1645Rutherford Tryal & Tri. Faith i. (1845) 3 If..the night-watch fall fast asleep. 1850Grote Greece ii. lxv. VIII. 362 A little before day break, when the night-watch had just broken up. 1883Gresley Gloss. Coal-mining 174 Night Watch, a trusty old collier who keeps guard on the surface during the night.
3. One of the (three or four) watches into which the night was divided by the Jews and Romans; hence, any similar period or division of the night. Usually in pl.
c1200Trin. Coll. Hom. 39 On þis niht beð fowuer niht wecches. 1535Coverdale Ps. cxix. 148 Myne eyes preuente y⊇ night watches. 1611Bible Ps. lxiii. 6, I..meditate on thee in the night-watches. 1634Milton Comus 347 Might we but hear The..village cock Count the night watches to his feathery Dames. 1852Mrs. Stowe Uncle Tom's C. xxxvi, Flashing through the chambers of his brain, came all the fearful images of the night-watches.
So ˈnight-watcher; ˈnight-watching vbl. n. and ppl. a.
1568Grafton Chron. II. 499 To auoyde all *night watchers adioyning to Paris. 1859Meredith R. Feverel xli, He dismissed the night-watchers from the room.
1697Dryden Virgil Life *2 His too great abstinence and *night-watchings at his Study. a1839Praed Poems (1865) I. 384 Labour must be your doom, Night-watchings, days of gloom. 1856Orr's Circ. Sci., Pract. Chem. 460 The best description of candle manufactured from wax is the mortar-light, which is used..for night-watching.
1579J. Northbrooke Dicing (1843) 46 You abused, and not vsed, your sleepe in due time and order, by reason of your ydle *night-watching playes. 1643A. Ross Mel Helic. 169 That he may not be found asleep By his night-watching enemy. 1820Shelley Hymn Merc. ii, A night-watching and door-waylaying thief. |