Alternative form of on watch.

On duty as a guard or lookout / Vigilant; alert.

plural of watchfulness

present participle of watch

The act of one who watches.

plural of watching

(nautical) The practice of having two alternate watches aboard a ship or vessel.

The act of watching for the occurrence of fires, for example during wartime bombing raids or in forested areas in hot and dry conditions.

(idiomatic) To guard and protect.

A watch kept on some premises, or on a town, by guards during the night. / One or more of the guards on such a watch.