Watch vs Check - What's the difference?
watch | check |
A portable or wearable timepiece.
*
, title=(The Celebrity), chapter=2
, passage=Sunning himself on the board steps, I saw for the first time Mr. Farquhar Fenelon Cooke.
The act of guarding and observing someone or something.
* Milton
* Addison
A particular time period when guarding is kept.
* Shakespeare
* Milton
A person or group of people who guard.
* Bible, Matthew xxvii. 65
The post or office of a watchman; also, the place where a watchman is posted, or where a guard is kept.
* Shakespeare
(nautical) A group of sailors and officers aboard a ship or shore station with a common period of duty: starboard watch'', ''port watch .
(nautical) A period of time on duty, usually four hours in length; the officers and crew who tend the working of a vessel during the same watch. (FM 55–501).
The act of seeing, or viewing, for a period of time.
* 2004 , Charles P. Nemeth, Criminal law
(label) To look at, see, or view for a period of time.
* , chapter=10
, title= (label) To observe over a period of time; to notice or pay attention.
(label) To mind, attend, or guard.
*{{quote-book, year=1899, author=(Stephen Crane)
, title=, chapter=1
, passage=[…] (it was the town's humour to be always gassing of phantom investors who were likely to come any moment and pay a thousand prices for everything) — “[…] Them rich fellers, they don't make no bad breaks with their money. They watch it all th' time b'cause they know blame well there ain't hardly room fer their feet fer th' pikers an' tin-horns an' thimble-riggers what are layin' fer 'em. […]”}}
(label) To be wary or cautious of.
(label) To attend to dangers to or regarding.
(label) To remain awake with a sick or dying person; to maintain a vigil.
(label) To be vigilant or on one's guard.
(label) To act as a lookout.
To serve the purpose of a watchman by floating properly in its place.
To be awake.
* 1485 , (Thomas Malory), (w, Le Morte d'Arthur) , Book X:
(chess) A situation in which the king is directly threatened by an opposing piece.
An inspection or examination.
A control; a limit or stop.
* Addison
(US) A mark (especially a checkmark: ) used as an indicator, equivalent to a tick (UK) .
(US) An order to a bank to pay money to a named person or entity; a cheque (UK, Canada) .
(US) A bill, particularly in a restaurant.
A maneuver performed by a player to take another player out of the play.
A token used instead of cash in gaming machines.
* 1963 , American law reports annotated: second series (volume 89)
A lengthwise separation through the growth rings in wood.
A mark, certificate, or token, by which, errors may be prevented, or a thing or person may be identified.
(falconry) The forsaking by a hawk of its proper game to follow other birds.
A small chink or crack.
To inspect; to examine.
To mark with a checkmark.
To control, limit, or halt.
* Burke
* 1922 , (James Joyce), Chapter 13
To verify or compare with a source of information.
To leave in safekeeping.
To leave with a shipping agent for shipping.
To pass or bounce the ball to an opponent from behind the three-point line and have the opponent pass or bounce it back to start play.
To physically remove a person from play.
(poker) To remain in a hand without betting. Only legal if no one has yet bet.
(chess) To make a move which puts an adversary's piece, especially the king, in check; to put in check.
To chide, rebuke, or reprove.
* Shakespeare
(nautical) To slack or ease off, as a brace which is too stiffly extended.
To crack or gape open, as wood in drying; or to crack in small checks, as varnish, paint, etc.
To make checks or chinks in; to cause to crack.
To make a stop; to pause; with at .
* John Locke
(obsolete) To clash or interfere.
To act as a curb or restraint.
* Dryden
(falconry) To turn, when in pursuit of proper game, and fly after other birds.
* Shakespeare
(textiles, usually, pluralized) A pattern made up of a grid of squares of alternating colors; a checkered pattern.
In nautical|lang=en terms the difference between watch and check
is that watch is (nautical) a period of time on duty, usually four hours in length; the officers and crew who tend the working of a vessel during the same watch (fm 55–501) while check is (nautical) to slack or ease off, as a brace which is too stiffly extended.As nouns the difference between watch and check
is that watch is a portable or wearable timepiece while check is (chess) a situation in which the king is directly threatened by an opposing piece or check can be (textiles|usually|pluralized) a pattern made up of a grid of squares of alternating colors; a checkered pattern.As verbs the difference between watch and check
is that watch is (label) to look at, see, or view for a period of time while check is to inspect; to examine.watch
English
(wikipedia watch)Etymology 1
As a noun, from (etyl) wacche, from (etyl) . See below for verb form.Noun
(es)- More people today carry a watch on their wrists than in their pockets.
- shepherds keeping watch by night
- All the long night their mournful watch they keep.
- The second watch of the night began at midnight.
- I did stand my watch upon the hill.
- Might we but hear / Or whistle from the lodge, or village cock / Count the night watches to his feathery dames.
- The watch stopped the travelers at the city gates.
- Pilate said unto them, Ye have a watch ; go your way, make it as sure as ye can.
- He upbraids Iago, that he made him / Brave me upon the watch .
- A quick watch of Stanley Kubrick's Clockwork Orange sends this reality home fast. Amoral, vacuous, cold-blooded, unsympathetic, and chillingly evil describe only parts of the story.
Derived terms
* hurricane watch * on one's watch * on the watch * pocket watch * stand watch * stopwatch * tornado watch * wristwatchEtymology 2
As a verb, from (etyl) wacchen, from (etyl) .Verb
(es)The Mirror and the Lamp, passage=It was a joy to snatch some brief respite, and find himself in the rectory drawing–room. Listening here was as pleasant as talking; just to watch was pleasant. The young priests who lived here wore cassocks and birettas; their faces were fine and mild, yet really strong, like the rector's face; and in their intercourse with him and his wife they seemed to be brothers.}}
- So on the morne Sir Trystram, Sir Gareth and Sir Dynadan arose early and went unto Sir Palomydes chambir, and there they founde hym faste aslepe, for he had all nyght wacched [...].
Usage notes
* When used transitively to mean look at something, there is an implication that the direct object is something which is capable of changing.Antonyms
* ignoreDerived terms
* clock-watcher * watch it * watch like a hawk * watch the pennies * watch this space * watchman * watchtowerSee also
* wait * wake 1000 English basic wordscheck
English
Etymology 1
From (etyl) eschec, from . All English senses developed from the chess sense.Noun
(en noun)- I don't know if she will be there, but it's worth a check .
- checks and balances
- The castle moat should hold the enemy in check .
- a remarkable check to the first progress of Christianity
- Place a check by the things you have done.
- I was not carrying cash, so I wrote a check for the amount.
- I summoned the waiter, paid the check , and hurried to leave.
- The hockey player gave a good hard check to obtain the puck.
- a check''' given for baggage; a return '''check on a railroad
Synonyms
* (note of monetary transfer) cheque * (indicator mark) tick (UK), checkmark, * (bill of sale) cheque (Canada)Descendants
* German: * Spanish:Verb
(en verb)- Check the oil in your car once a month.
- Check whether this page has a watermark.
- Check the correct answer to each question.
- Check your enthusiasm during a negotiation.
- so many clogs to check and retard the headlong course of violence and oppression
- She was about to retort but something checked the words on her tongue.
- Check your data against known values.
- Check your hat and coat at the door.
- Check your bags at the ticket counter before the flight.
- He checked the ball and then proceeded to perform a perfect layup.
- That basket doesn't count—you forgot to check !
- The hockey player checked the defenceman to obtain the puck .
- Tom didn't think he could win, so he checked .
- The good king, his master, will check him for it.
- The sun checks timber.
- The mind, once jaded by an attempt above its power, either is disabled for the future, or else checks at any vigorous undertaking ever after.
- (Francis Bacon)
- It [his presence] checks too strong upon me.
- And like the haggard, check at every feather / That comes before his eye.
Derived terms
* check in * check into * check out * check over * check through * check upDerived terms
* bad check * bed check * body check * bounce a check * cashier's check * check against * checkbook * check casher * checker * checkers * checkered * checking * checking account * check in * check into * checking account * check is in the mail * check a person out * check it out * checklist * checkmate * checkout * check out * check over * checkup * check up on * check valve * checks and balances * counter check * cross-check * discovered check * double check * double-check * hot check * kite a check * put in check * rain check * reality check * recheck * revealed check * shoulder check * stick check * teller's check * traveler's check * unch * uncheckedEtymology 2
By shortening from checker, from (etyl) scaccarium, ultimately from the same Persian root as above.Noun
(en noun)- The tablecloth had red and white check s.