Deathwatch

Pronunciation: /dɛθ.wɒtʃ/

Definitions of deathwatch

noun a small beetle that makes a ticking sound, believed in folklore to portend a death

Example Sentences

A1 The deathwatch beetle makes a ticking sound in the old house.

A2 The family kept a deathwatch vigil by their loved one's bedside.

B1 The soldiers were on a deathwatch mission, waiting for the enemy's next move.

B2 The detective was assigned to the deathwatch duty to monitor the suspect's activities.

C1 The deathwatch committee was responsible for overseeing the execution of the project.

C2 The journalist was on a deathwatch assignment to report on the impending crisis.

Examples of deathwatch in a Sentence

formal The deathwatch beetle is known for the tapping sound it makes in the walls of old buildings.

informal I heard a deathwatch beetle in the attic last night, it was so loud!

slang I swear, that deathwatch beetle is driving me crazy with its noise.

figurative The constant ticking of the clock felt like a deathwatch counting down the hours of his life.

Grammatical Forms of deathwatch

• past tense: deathwatched
• plural: deathwatches
• comparative: more deathwatch
• superlative: most deathwatch
• present tense: deathwatches
• future tense: will deathwatch
• perfect tense: have deathwatched
• continuous tense: is deathwatching
• singular: deathwatch
• positive degree: deathwatch
• infinitive: to deathwatch
• gerund: deathwatching
• participle: deathwatched

Origin and Evolution of deathwatch

First Known Use: 1250 year

Language of Origin: Old English

Story behind the word: The word 'deathwatch' originated from the Old English term 'dēawæcce', which referred to the vigil kept beside a dying person.

Evolution of the word: Over time, the term 'deathwatch' evolved to also refer to the vigil kept over a corpse before burial, as well as the ticking sound made by certain wood-boring beetles that was believed to signal an impending death.