WATCHMAN

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 Dictionary entry overview: What does watchman mean? 

• WATCHMAN (noun)
  The noun WATCHMAN has 1 sense:

1. a guard who keeps watch

  Familiarity information: WATCHMAN used as a noun is very rare.

 Dictionary entry details 

• WATCHMAN (noun)

Sense 1

Meaning:

A guard who keeps watch

Classified under:

Nouns denoting people

Synonyms:

security guard; watcher; watchman

Hypernyms ("watchman" is a kind of...):

guard (a person who keeps watch over something or someone)

Hyponyms (each of the following is a kind of "watchman"):

bank guard (a security guard at a bank)

fire watcher ((during World War II in Britain) someone whose duty was to watch for fires caused by bombs dropped from the air)

lookout; lookout man; picket; scout; sentinel; sentry; spotter; watch (a person employed to keep watch for some anticipated event)

night watchman (a watchman who works during the night)

patroller (someone on patrol duty; an individual or a member of a group that patrols an area)

port watcher; portwatcher (a watchman on a wharf)

Holonyms ("watchman" is a member of...):

private security force; security force (a privately employed group hired to protect the security of a business or industry)

 Context examples 

Is there no watchman to the building?

(His Last Bow, by Sir Arthur Conan Doyle)

“Aye, it is the steel head-piece of the watchman,” remarked the archer.

(The White Company, by Sir Arthur Conan Doyle)

I ran back at once, told the watchman to get three or four men immediately and follow me into the grounds of Carfax, in case our friend might be dangerous.

(Dracula, by Bram Stoker)

"Then I'll just finish my pipe in starting the first one," said Professor Summerlee; and from that time onwards we never trusted ourselves again without a watchman.

(The Lost World, by Sir Arthur Conan Doyle)

"It's a useful thing to have in the house in case of fire or thieves," observed Laurie, as a watchman's rattle appeared, amid the laughter of the girls.

(Little Women, by Louisa May Alcott)

He was equally certain that the same stranger had, while standing at the window, drugged his curried mutton, and so deprived the stables of their watchman.

(The Memoirs of Sherlock Holmes, by Sir Arthur Conan Doyle)

I had quite made up my mind that the mutineers, after their repulse of the morning, had nothing nearer their hearts than to up anchor and away to sea; this, I thought, it would be a fine thing to prevent, and now that I had seen how they left their watchmen unprovided with a boat, I thought it might be done with little risk.

(Treasure Island, by Robert Louis Stevenson)

The elegant little clock on the mantel-piece had struck eleven with its silver sounds, and the watchman was beginning to be heard at a distance telling the same tale, before Mr Elliot or any of them seemed to feel that he had been there long.

(Persuasion, by Jane Austen)

I had lain tossing about, and had heard the clock strike only twice, when the night-watchman came to me, sent up from the ward, to say that Renfield had escaped.

(Dracula, by Bram Stoker)

On examining the premises the body of the unfortunate watchman was found doubled up and thrust into the largest of the safes, where it would not have been discovered until Monday morning had it not been for the prompt action of Sergeant Tuson.

(The Memoirs of Sherlock Holmes, by Sir Arthur Conan Doyle)