watch one's step

To go carefully, esp with a view to not giving offence or cause for complaint

watch /woch/

transitive verb

1. To keep in view, to follow the motions of with the eyes
2. To observe the progress of, maintain an interest in, follow
3. To look at or observe attentively
4. (of a barrister) to attend the trial of (a case) on behalf of a client not directly involved in it
5. To have in one's care, to look after
6. To guard
7. To tend
8. To beware of danger to or from, to be on the alert to guard or guard against
9. To be on the alert to take advantage of (an opportunity, etc)
10. To wait for (obsolete)
11. To catch in an act (Shakespeare)
12. To keep (a hawk) from sleep, in order to tame it (Shakespeare)

intransitive verb

1. To be on the alert
2. To look out (with for)
3. To look with attention
4. To keep guard
5. (with over) to keep guard over
6. To remain awake
7. To keep vigil
8. To attend the sick by night (old)

noun

1. A small timepiece for wearing on a strap round the wrist (also wristwatch), or carrying in a pocket
2. The state of being, or act of staying, awake (old)
3. A religious vigil (old except in watch night)
4. A vigil beside a corpse, a wake
5. A flock (of nightingales)
6. A division of the night, of fixed length (historical)
7. (in pl) the dark hours (of the night) (poetic)
8. The state of remaining on the alert, being on the lookout or observing vigilantly
9. Close observation
10. The activity of guarding, surveillance
11. The office or duty of keeping guard or of being a sentinel (stand upon one's watch (Bible) to fulfil the duty of watchman)
12. The activity of lying in wait or in ambush
13. A watchman or body of watchmen
14. The body of men who, before the institution of a police force, patrolled the streets at night (historical)
15. A sentinel, or the military guard of a place (old)
16. In early 18c, a name applied to certain companies of irregular troops in the Scottish Highlands
17. A usu four-hour period of duty on deck (but see dogwatch under dog¹) (nautical)
18. Those members (usu half) of a ship's officers and crew who are on duty at the same time (the port or (orig) larboard watch and the starboard watch)
19. A sailor's or firefighter's turn or period of duty
20. Something that measures or marks time or the passage of time, such as a marked candle, the cry of a watchman, a clock (obsolete)
21. The dial of a clock (obsolete)

combining form

Denoting vigilance exercised by a community over some aspect of the environment, esp as the professed brief of a television programme, as in crimewatch

watchabilˈity noun

watchˈable adjective

1. That may be watched
2. (of an entertainment, esp a TV programme) having enjoyment or interest value (informal)

watchˈer noun

1. Someone who watches
2. A name used for an angel or for a class of angels

watchˈful adjective

1. Habitually on the alert or cautious
2. Watching or observing carefully
3. Wary
4. Characterized by vigilance
5. Requiring vigilance, or in which one must remain on the alert
6. Wakeful (archaic)
7. Spent in watching (archaic)

watchˈfully adverb

watchˈfulness noun

watchˈing adjective (nautical; of a buoy)

Fully afloat

watch and ward noun

1. The old custom of watching by night and by day in towns and cities
2. Uninterrupted vigilance

watch bill noun

A list of the officers and crew of a ship, as divided into watches, with their respective stations

watchˈbox noun

A sentry box

watch cap noun

A close-fitting navy-blue cap worn by sailors in cold weather

watchˈcase noun

1. The outer case of a watch
2. A sentry box (Shakespeare)

watch chain noun

A chain for securing a watch to one's clothing

watch clock noun

A watchman's clock

Watch Committee noun

Formerly, a committee of a local governing body exercising supervision over police services, etc

watch crystal see watchglass below.

watchˈdog noun

1. A dog kept to guard premises and property
2. Any person or organization closely monitoring governmental or commercial operations, etc to guard against inefficiency and illegality (also adjective)

watch fire noun

1. A fire lit at night as a signal
2. A fire for the use of a watching party, sentinels, scouts, etc

watchˈglass noun

1. A sandglass
2. A glass covering for the face of a watch (also watch crystal)
3. A small curved glass dish used in laboratories to hold small quantities of a solution, etc

watchˈguard noun

A chain or strap, etc used to attach a watch to one's clothing

watch house noun

1. A house in which a guard is placed
2. A police station or lock-up (old)

watching brief noun

1. Instructions to a counsel to watch a legal case
2. (loosely) responsibility for observing developments, etc in a specific area

watch key noun

A key for winding a watch

watch light noun

A light used for watching or sitting up in the night

watch list noun

A list of countries, persons, etc whose activities are to be monitored, esp when thought to be potentially dangerous

watchˈmaker noun

A maker or repairer of watches

watchˈmaking noun

watchˈman noun

A man who watches or guards a building (or, formerly, the streets of a city) at night

watchman's clock noun

A clock recording the times of a watchman's visits

watch night noun (religion)

1. In some Protestant churches, the night of Christmas Eve (24 December) or New Year's Eve (31 December)
2. (also watch-night service) a service lasting through midnight held on these nights

watch officer noun

The officer in charge of the ship during a watch, also called officer of the watch

watchˈ-out noun

A lookout

watch paper noun

A round piece of paper, often decorated, formerly put inside the outer case of a watch to prevent rubbing

watch pocket noun

A small pocket for holding a watch

watchˈpoint noun

A selected position for admiring scenery

watchˈspring noun

The mainspring of a watch

watchˈstrap noun

A strap for fastening a watch round the wrist

watchˈtower noun

A tower on which a sentinel is placed to look out for the approach of danger

watchˈword noun

1. The password to be given to a watch or sentry (obsolete)
2. Any word used as a signal
3. A maxim, slogan or rallying-cry

Black Watch

The 42nd and 73rd Regiments, now the 3rd Battalion of the Royal Regiment of Scotland

on one's watch

While one is in charge or responsible

on the watch

Vigilant, looking out (for danger, etc)

watch after (Thackeray)

To follow the movements of (with one's eyes)

watch in

To keep awake to welcome (the New Year)

watch it! (informal, esp admonitory)

Be careful!

watch one's back (informal)

To be on the alert for treacherous moves against one

watch one's step

1. To step with care
2. To act warily, be careful not to arouse opposition, give offence, etc (informal)

watch out (informal; orig US)

To look out, be careful

watch over

To guard, take care of

watch up (Thackeray)

To sit up at night