watchword en · NOUN
Pronunciation
Etymology
From Middle English wacche word, wacchworde, morphologically as watch (“guard, sentinel, sentry”) + word.
Meanings
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A word used as a motto, as expressive of a principle, belief, or rule of action; a rallying cry.
It's a peel out the watchword / Just peel out the watchword
1994, Tori Amos, “Cornflake Girl”, in Under the Pink:"How this perpetual gaiety," exclaimed Louis, "jars upon the ear! Good Heaven! is farewell to be said so gladly? I sometimes start when I think upon the hollowness of all that surrounds me. I often wish my eye had the power of searching the inmost depths of the bosoms whose watchword is my name."
1834, L[etitia] E[lizabeth] L[andon], chapter XXVII, in Francesca Carrara. […], volume I, London: Richard Bentley, […], (successor to Henry Colburn), →OCLC, page 321:Atrocities of the most vicious kind were justified by the watchwords: "This is war!" "Might is Right." "Necessity knows no law."
1919, Boris Sidis, The Source and Aim of Human Progress:We can repay the debt which we owe to our God, to our dead, and to our children only by work — by ceaseless devotion to the responsibilities which lie ahead of us. If I could give you a single watchword for the coming months, that word is: work, work, and more work.
1945 May, Harry S. Truman, Announcement of Germany's Surrender:The Esk Valley route to Whitby was a classic example: a basic four trains a day service has persisted for decades, with economy the watchword.
2019 October, James Abbott, “Esk Valley revival”, in Modern Railways, page 76:For-ward! be our watchword, Steps and voices joined; / Seek the things before us, Not a look behind.
1871, “Forward! Be Our Watchword”, Henry Alford (lyrics), Henry Thomas Smart (music):
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(qualifier:security) A prearranged reply to the challenge of a sentry or a guard; a password or signal by which friends can be known from enemies.
a Watchword sufficient for him that is wiſe
1625, George Sandys, Sacrae heptades:
Forms
| Spelling | Features | Labels | Source |
|---|---|---|---|
| watchwords | Number=Plur | lexicographic |
Relateds
Synonyms
mantra · motto · passphrase · maxim · byword · underword · guideword · password · catchword
Translations (47)
ru клич (word used as expressive of a principle) · ru о́тзыв (a prearranged reply to the challenge of a sentry or a guard) · cs hlavní zásada (word used as expressive of a principle) · sv slogan (word used as expressive of a principle) · enm wacche word (a prearranged reply to the challenge of a sentry or a guard) · grc σύνθημα (a prearranged reply to the challenge of a sentry or a guard) · bg ло́зунг (word used as expressive of a principle) · sv lösenord (a prearranged reply to the challenge of a sentry or a guard) · fi motto (word used as expressive of a principle) · ru ло́зунг (word used as expressive of a principle) · ca sant i senya (a prearranged reply to the challenge of a sentry or a guard) · ru паро́ль (a prearranged reply to the challenge of a sentry or a guard) · de Kennwort (a prearranged reply to the challenge of a sentry or a guard) · el σύνθημα (a prearranged reply to the challenge of a sentry or a guard) · de Schlagwort (word used as expressive of a principle) · de Parole (a prearranged reply to the challenge of a sentry or a guard) · cs heslo (a prearranged reply to the challenge of a sentry or a guard) · hy նշանաբառ (a prearranged reply to the challenge of a sentry or a guard) · fr mot d'ordre (word used as expressive of a principle) · es lema (word used as expressive of a principle) · fi iskulause (word used as expressive of a principle) · es contraseña (a prearranged reply to the challenge of a sentry or a guard) · pl hasło (word used as expressive of a principle) · fr mot d'ordre (a prearranged reply to the challenge of a sentry or a guard) · fi tunnussana (a prearranged reply to the challenge of a sentry or a guard) · sv lösen (word used as expressive of a principle) · he אִמְרַת כָּנָף (word used as expressive of a principle) · de Parole (word used as expressive of a principle) · de Losung (a prearranged reply to the challenge of a sentry or a guard) · fi tunnus (word used as expressive of a principle) · sv ledord (word used as expressive of a principle) · sv motto (word used as expressive of a principle) · el σύνθημα (word used as expressive of a principle) · sv lösen (a prearranged reply to the challenge of a sentry or a guard) · cs motto (word used as expressive of a principle) · es santo y seña (a prearranged reply to the challenge of a sentry or a guard) · cs heslo (word used as expressive of a principle) · de Motto (word used as expressive of a principle) · sv slagord (word used as expressive of a principle) · es consigna (word used as expressive of a principle) · ru о́тклик (a prearranged reply to the challenge of a sentry or a guard) · pl zawołanie (word used as expressive of a principle) · sv stridsrop (word used as expressive of a principle) · sv valspråk (word used as expressive of a principle) · hy նշանաբան (a prearranged reply to the challenge of a sentry or a guard) · pl odzew (a prearranged reply to the challenge of a sentry or a guard) · bg паро́ла (a prearranged reply to the challenge of a sentry or a guard)