Word of the Day: Watch
When the word “watch” is used as a verb, it means that a person is actively looking at something and paying attention while looking. It’s a little different from the verbs “look” or “see.”
- I saw a movie at the movie theater.
- I watched a movie on TV.
- I looked at the TV.
Generally, we use the verb “see” for films and movies, and we use “watch” for entertainment on a television or large-screen TV.
Here are some more examples of how the word “watch” is used as a verb:
- Who watches your kids while you are away from home? (watch = baby sit)
- Investors watch changes that occur in the stock market.
- Consumers watch for prices to drop in the form of a sale.
- One way to learn how to play baseball is to watch people play it.
- The police are watching the man who lives in the house down the street. (watch = follow; monitor)
- What do you like to watch on TV?
- You have to watch out for other people. (watch out = pay attention to what people are doing)
- The Superbowl is the most watched television program of the year. (The word “watched” is an adjective in this sentence.)
- The pirates watched as their ship sank. (This sentence is in the past tense.)
The word “watch” can be used as an interjection:
- Hey, watch out! (watch out = be careful)
- Watch it! (watch it = I’m giving you a warning.)
- Watch. (watch = pay attention)
When the word “watch” is used as a noun, it can refer to a device used for telling time:
- He’s wearing a watch.
- Maria looked at her watch to see what time it was.
- A Rolex is a nice watch.
- Do you wear a watch?
As a noun, the word “watch” is also used when there’s a concerted effort to pay attention to something:
- A tornado watch was announced on television a few minutes ago. (tornado watch = conditions are good for a tornado to form)
- A neighborhood watch group was formed by neighbors concerned about crime.
- People whose names are on a terrorist watch list are prevented from boarding airplanes.
Essential English Dictionary
Visit the Popular English Words Beginning with W page to see the list of all words starting with letter W. For seeing the HiCafe dictionary, visit the Popular English Words with Meaning page.
