Deathwatch - Meaning, Definition & English Examples
A deathwatch is a vigil kept beside a dying or dead person. It can also refer to a small beetle that makes a tapping sound, often associated with superstitions about impending death.
Definition:
A vigil kept beside a dying or dead person, or a beetle that makes a ticking sound.
Synonyms:
vigil, watch, guard
Part of Speech:
noun
Antonyms:
celebration, rejoicing
Common Collocations:
keep a deathwatch, deathwatch beetle, solemn deathwatch
Derivatives:
deathwatcher, deathwatching
Usage Tips:
Use "deathwatch" literally for a vigil or figuratively for an ominous waiting period; often associated with solemnity or foreboding.
Common Phrases:
on deathwatch, keeping the deathwatch, deathwatch vigil
Etymology:
From Middle English "dethwach," combining "death" + "watch," referring to guarding the dying or the beetle's ticking sound resembling a clock.
Examples:
- 1. The family held a quiet deathwatch by her bedside.
- 2. The eerie ticking of the deathwatch beetle filled the old house.
- 3. Soldiers kept a deathwatch over their fallen comrade.
- 4. The town felt like it was on a collective deathwaitch during the crisis.