watchful en · ADJ
Pronunciation
- /ˈwɒt͡ʃ.fəl/ (Received-Pronunciation)
- /ˈwɔt͡ʃ.fəl/ (General-American)
- (US) audio
Etymology
From Middle English waccheful, equivalent to watch + -ful. Compare West Frisian waaks (“watchful”), Dutch waaks, waakzaam (“watchful”), German wachsam (“watchful”), Swedish vaksam (“watchful”).
Meanings
-
Fully observant, vigilant, or aware.
But there was so much at stake that I had to take some risk—though even when I was far away there has never been a day when the Shire has not been guarded by watchful eyes.
1954 July 29, J[ohn] R[onald] R[euel] Tolkien, “The Shadow of the Past”, in The Fellowship of the Ring: Being the First Part of The Lord of the Rings, New York, N.Y.: Ballantine Books, published September 1973, →ISBN, page 93:The teacher kept a watchful eye on her pupils during the school trip.
Forms
| Spelling | Features | Labels | Source |
|---|---|---|---|
| most watchful | Degree=Sup | lexicographic | |
| more watchful | Degree=Cmp | lexicographic |
Deriveds
watchfully · unwatchful · everwatchful · ever-watchful · watchful waiting · watchfulness
Synonyms
Translations (45)
sa प्रबुध् (observant, vigilant and aware) · fi valpas (observant, vigilant and aware) · bg внимателен (observant, vigilant and aware) · got 𐌿𐍃𐍃𐌺𐌰𐍅𐍃 (observant, vigilant and aware) · gl atento (observant, vigilant and aware) · da vågent (observant, vigilant and aware) · hi सजग (observant, vigilant and aware) · mi whakamātaki (observant, vigilant and aware) · pt atento (observant, vigilant and aware) · ro vigilent (observant, vigilant and aware) · mi whakamatatū (observant, vigilant and aware) · gl vixiante (observant, vigilant and aware) · ota سهران (observant, vigilant and aware) · bg бдителен (observant, vigilant and aware) · ja 注意深い (observant, vigilant and aware) · pt vigilante (observant, vigilant and aware) · lv modrs (observant, vigilant and aware) · mi mataara (observant, vigilant and aware) · mi tūmatohi (observant, vigilant and aware) · am ንቁ (observant, vigilant and aware) · mi owhiti (observant, vigilant and aware) · mi ohiti (observant, vigilant and aware) · ga cathaiseach (observant, vigilant and aware) · pt alerta (observant, vigilant and aware) · la evigilans (observant, vigilant and aware) · mi hihiwa (observant, vigilant and aware) · es atento (observant, vigilant and aware) · mi matakana (observant, vigilant and aware) · mi matatū (observant, vigilant and aware) · fr vigilant (observant, vigilant and aware) · bn সতর্ক (observant, vigilant and aware) · nb vaktsom (observant, vigilant and aware) · nl waakzaam (observant, vigilant and aware) · gd faireil (observant, vigilant and aware) · ru бди́тельный (observant, vigilant and aware) · ang wacor (observant, vigilant and aware) · mi hiwahiwa (observant, vigilant and aware) · es avizor (observant, vigilant and aware) · hy զգոն (observant, vigilant and aware) · fr attentif (observant, vigilant and aware) · de wachsam (observant, vigilant and aware) · ga airdeallach (observant, vigilant and aware) · la vigilax (observant, vigilant and aware) · ro atent (observant, vigilant and aware) · gl fiteiro (observant, vigilant and aware)