keep watch

Idioms and Phrases

Also, keep a watch or close watch on ; watch over . Observe with continuous attention, especially to act as a sentinel or for protection. For example, Afraid that the wolves would return, she kept watch while the others slept , or They kept a close watch on the harbor, looking for signs of enemy ships , or, according to the Gospel of St. Luke (2:8): “And there were in the same country shepherds ... keeping watch over their flock by night.” [Late 1300s] Also see keep an eye out for .

Example Sentences

These are the public companies to keep watch over throughout the next few years, the biggest Trump bettors that will soon find out whether “doing business with Hitler” was worth it after all:

From Slate

The delayed transfer illustrates the Biden administration’s continuing struggle to find countries willing to resettle and keep watch on the 16 cleared detainees, who are among the 30 men held at Guantánamo.

From New York Times

The Philippine coast guard deployed three patrol ships and a light plane on Wednesday to keep watch on the activists, who set off from western Zambales province.

From Seattle Times

The Philippine coast guard and navy deployed one patrol ship each to keep watch from a distance on the activists and fishermen, who set off on wooden boats with bamboo outriggers to assert Manila’s sovereignty over the Scarborough Shoal.

From Seattle Times

A couple of alligators keep watch from the surface of the water.

From Literature

Related Words

• cruise
• inspect
• safeguard