WATCHMAN
NOUNS
► WARD a company of watchmen or guards → c1000
NOUNS – PERSON
► AIREDALE a guard or watchman → 1930s US criminals’ sl.
► ALLEY CAT a night watchman → 20C sl.
► BAT a watchman → 1975 Amer. sl. (Bk.)
► BILL a ‘bill-man’; a soldier armed with a bill; a watchman similarly armed; a labourer using a bill (bill – a pike or hooked axe) → 1495
► BILLMAN a watchman armed with a bill (a pike or hooked axe) → 1630
► BISHOP an overlooker, inspector, or watchman → 1592 obs.
► CATCHER a watchman or policeman → 1837 US sl.
► CHARLEY ► CHARLIE a a London watchman before the introduction of the system of police → c1810 sl.
► CHOKIDAR a watchman → 1892 Anglo-Indian sl. (Bk.)
► CLOCKEY a watchman → 1890 sl. (Bk.)
► DARKEE ► DARKEY ► DARKY a night watchman → L19 sl.
► DARKMAN a night-watchman → E18 cant
► DAY-WAIT a watcher or watchman by day → 1496 obs.
► GARATOUR ► GARITOUR ► GARRITOUR one who occupies a ‘garret’ or watch-tower; a watchman on a tower or wall → 1553 Sc. obs.
► HACK a night watchman; a night policeman or marshal; chiefly the watchman of a building → 1914 Amer. criminals’ sl.
► HAWK a guard, a watchman → 1942 Amer. sl.
► JACK-A-LANTERN ► JACK-A-LANTHORN ► JACK-O’-LANTERN ► JACK-WITH-THE-LANTERN a man with a lantern; a night watchman → 1663 obs.
► KIP a night-watchman → 1920s US criminals’ sl.
► LEATHER-HEAD a policeman; a watchman → L19 US sl.
► MAN IN THE MOON a watchman, a constable → M17 sl.
► MOON’S MEN night watchmen → 1920 (Bk.)
► MOON’S MINION a night-watchman → 1828 poetic usage obs.
► MORNING-MAN a daytime watchman → 1722 obs.
► NAPPING COVE a watchman → 1707 UK criminals’ sl.
► NIGHT HACK a night watchman → 1928 US criminals’ sl.
► NIGHTCAP a night watchman → 1949 US criminals’ sl.
► OATS (AND BARLEY) a night watchman → 1859 UK rhyming sl. for “Charlie”
► SHOWER a person who looks out or observes; an observer; a scout; a watchman; also, a person who makes an inspection or examination of something → a1225 obs.
► TALLIAR ► TARRYAR a village watchman in Southern India → 1680
► TATTLER a night watchman → 1975 Amer. sl (Bk.)
► TENTER a watcher, watchman; a watch-dog → 1844 Eng. dial.
► TOOTER one who gazes; a watchman; a peeper → 1382 obs.
► VEIL ► VEILLE ► VEYLE a watcher or watchman → 1361 obs.
► WAIT 1. a military watchman, sentinel, or lookout; also, a scout, spy; a watchman in a camp, castle, or fortified place who was furnished with a born to trumpet to sound an alarm or to make a signal → a1300 obs.
2. a municipal watchman → 1418 obs.
► WAIT CAPTAIN the chief of the municipal waits (watchmen); one who watches or keeps guard → 1565 obs.
► WAITER a watchman at the city gates → 1684 Sc. obs.
► WAITMAN a night watchman who guarded the gates of a city, usually marking the hours with the ringing of a small bell → a1300
► WAKEMAN a watchman → c1200 obs.
► WAKER one who watches; a watcher, a watchman → 1382 obs.
► WALKMAN a watchman → 1398 obs.
► WARD a watchman, a guard, a keeper, a warden → a680 obs.
► WARDEIN a warden; a guard; a watchman; a keeper at a gate → 1855 (Bk.)
► WARDER a soldier or other person set to guard an entrance; also, a watchman on a tower → c1400
► WARDSMAN a watchman who is responsible for prisoners → 1683
► WATCH-NIGHT a night-watchman → 1953 West Africa
VERBS
► BOX CHARLEY to turn over a watchman in his box → E19 sl.
► HACK to work as a night watchman → 1910s US criminals’ sl.
► WAIT to act as a watchman → 1436 obs.
Lexicophilia 