a. [f. WATCH sb. + -FUL.]
1. Wakeful, sleepless; accustomed to keeping awake. Of time: Passed in wakefulness. arch.
1548. Udall, etc., Erasm. Par. John xiv. 22–8. Of men obliuious he shal make you of good remembrance,… of sleapyshe sluggardes vigilant and watchefull.
1577. T. Kendall, Flowers Epigr., 44. Of the Peacok…. Then Iuno took his [sc. Argus’] watchfull eyes, and brauely by and by, She plast them in my traine.
1591. Shaks., Two Gent., I. i. 31. To be in loue; where … one fading moments mirth [is bought] With twenty watchfull, weary, tedious nights. Ibid. (1594), Rich. III., V. iii. 115. To thee I do commend my watchfull soule, Ere I let fall the windowes of mine eyes. Ibid. (1601), Jul. C., II. i. 98. What watchfull Cares doe interpose themselues Betwixt your Eyes, and Night?
1640. J. Gower, Ovid’s Festiv., I. 14. The cock by night to Nights black Queen they slay, Because his watchfull bill doth wake the day.
1697. Dryden, Virg. Georg., I. 395. Till the watchful Cock awakes the Day, She sings to drive the tedious Hours away.
1805. Med. Jrnl., XIV. 274. To alleviate the fever and watchful nights, effervescing draughts … were administered.
1878. J. P. Hopps, Princ. Relig., xii. 38. Nearly all reformers, discoverers, and teachers of the highest kind … have had to spend watchful nights and laborious days.
2. Of persons or animals, their dispositions or faculties: Engaged in or accustomed to watching or close observation; vigilant.
1601. R. Johnson, Kingd. & Commw. (1603), 81. No more watchfull … in their campe, then if they were safely intrenched in an ale house.
1605. Shaks., Macb., V. viii. 67. Our exil’d Friends … That fled the Snares of watchfull Tyranny.
1633. P. Fletcher, Purple Isl., XI. xxvii. The watchfull’st sight no difference could descrie.
1664. in Verney Mem. (1904), II. 212. A little yealping Dogg that were watchfull & angry were much more usefull to you.
1697. Dryden, Æneis, V. 585. His Hand, and watchful Eye keep even pace.
1711. Steele, Spect., No. 118, ¶ 1. If it had not been for that watchful Animal her Confident.
1797. Mrs. Radcliffe, Italian, i. They had remained watchful and still for a considerable time.
1814. Scott, Lord of Isles, IV. xii. The galley ploughs no more the sea. Lest, rounding wild Cantyre, they meet The southern foemen’s watchful fleet.
1827. Keble, Chr. Yr., St. Barnabas, ii. ’Twixt Prayer and watchful Love his heart dividing.
1882. Annie Edwardes, A Ballroom Repentance, I. 75–6. As though she were questioning a professor of sixty with a watchful mamma and governess in chaperonage.
b. Const. about, against, for, of, over; also with inf. of purpose.
Cf. the constructions of WATCH v.; watchful of corresponds to the transitive constructions.
1621. Quarles, Hadassa, v. E 3. But she was watchfull of her lips and wise, Disclosing not her kindred, or alyes.
1666. Extr. S. P. rel. Friends, III. (1912), 259. They are very carefull and watchfull to finde out and prevent all disturbances of that kinde.
1718. Free-thinker, No. 60. 34. They grew watchful over their New Dominion.
1748. Richardson, Clarissa (1811), I. 244. We are to live on at this rate (are we?) vexed by you, and continually watchful about you.
1769. Washington, Lett. to G. Mason, 5 April, Writ. 1834, II. 352. Selfish, designing men,… watchful of every turn, that can assist their lucrative views.
1827. Lytton, Pelham, ii. No one could be … more watchful to gratify others.
1899. ‘G. G.,’ Winkles, i. 16. Watchful for such casualties, Posh caught hold of him in an instant.
3. Of actions, care, etc.: Characterized by vigilance.
1582. Stanyhurst, Æneis, II. (Arb.), 69. Thee Greeks with custodye watchful, Warded thee towngats.
1609. Holland, Amm. Marcell., XXII. xv. 213. This beast … with most watchfull care looketh about him to see the coasts cleere and all at rest, and [etc.].
1623. J. Taylor (Water P.), Discov. by Sea, B 3. God,… of his boundlesse bounty, immense power, and eternall eye of watchfull prouidence releeues, guards, and conserues him.
1796. Mme. D’Arblay, Camilla, IV. 302. I should … have claimed the continuance of … your watchful counsel.
1842. Hawthorne, Amer. Note-bks. (1868), II. 90. A hound, crouching down with head erect, as if keeping watchful guard while the master of the mansion was away.
1886. Ruskin, Præterita, II. vi. 219. My really watchful delineation … had a quite unusual power of directing the attention of the general crowd to points of beauty … to which [etc.].
4. Of places, duties, employments: In which one must be on the watch. ? Obs.
1590. Spenser, F. Q., I. ix. 41. The souldier may not moue from watchfull sted.
1596. Edward III., III. i. 63. I haue discride, my Lord, As I was busie in my watchfull charge, The proud Armado of king Edwards ships.
1703. Rowe, Fair Penit., I. i. That Country which he long had serv’d In watchful Councils, and in Winter Camps.
1831. Scott, Cast. Dang., viii. Twelve months’ service, of a nature the most watchful and unpleasant.
Hence Watchfully adv.
1538. Elyot, Dict., Vigilanter, watchefully, dylygently.
1579. Tomson, Calvin’s Serm. Tim., 269/2. He that preachech must … indeuour to draw the whole flocke, to the obedience of God, to haue them walke in feare and humblenesse, and watchfully.
1660. Boyle, New Exp. Phys.-Mech., xvii. 116. If this Experiment were very watchfully try’d.
1752. Warburton, Serm., xi. Wks. 1788, V. 178. Amongst the various Societies of Christians, there are some, in which the holy Ordinances are more regularly administred … and Christian Liberty more watchfully protected.
a. 1822. Shelley, On Future St., Pr. Wks. 1888, II. 181. Let us … watchfully establish a discrimination between words and thoughts.
1857. Ruskin, Pol. Econ. Art, 10. Keeping your embroidery watchfully from the moth.
1870. Dickens, E. Drood, viii. Neville has made his remark in a watchfully advancing, and yet furtive and shy manner.
1895. E. McGaffey, Poems, 33.
| Ever the vigil keeping | |
| Watchfully, night and day. |
1920. Conquest, April, 263/2. One of the fishermen rows the craft, the other hangs watchfully over the side.
