Definitions

from The American Heritage® Dictionary of the English Language, 5th Edition.

  • noun An observation tower on which a guard or lookout is stationed to keep watch, as for enemies, for forest fires, or over prisoners.

from The Century Dictionary.

  • noun A tower on which a sentinel is placed to watch for enemies, for the approach of danger, etc.

from the GNU version of the Collaborative International Dictionary of English.

  • noun A tower in which a sentinel is placed to watch for enemies, the approach of danger, or the like.

from Wiktionary, Creative Commons Attribution/Share-Alike License.

  • noun an observation tower, in which a lookout keeps watch over prisoners, or looks out for fires etc

from WordNet 3.0 Copyright 2006 by Princeton University. All rights reserved.

  • noun an observation tower for a lookout to watch over prisoners or watch for fires or enemies

Etymologies

from Wiktionary, Creative Commons Attribution/Share-Alike License

watch +‎ tower

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Examples

  • He eventually videotapes what he describes as a watchtower, dozens of large tents, an old ambulance, and what he says are picnic tables and games on the other side of a six-foot chain-link fence topped with razor wire.

    AlterNet.org Main RSS Feed Larry Keller 2010

  • But see Isa 8: 9. watch in ... watchtower -- rather, "set the watch."

    Commentary Critical and Explanatory on the Whole Bible 1871

  • All along the watchtower is Vietnam ... doesn't work where they used it.)

    We watched Watchmen | Robot 6 @ Comic Book Resources – Covering Comic Book News and Entertainment 2009

  • For John, Julia and me in the tree, our days consist mostly of phone calls to raise awareness and funding and manning the community watchtower, which is what we call the huge walnut tree where we sit.

    Daryl Hannah: Saving the South Central Farm 2008

  • The statement of claim (TIFF format) argues both copyright infringement (for the materials posted online) as well as trademark infringement (for the use of the domain watchtower. ca).

    Jehovah’s Witnesses v Cdn site 2005

  • Do you know, and I know the investigation is only now under way, but do you know how these two men made it to the watchtower, which is obviously a place that inmates are never supposed to get to?

    CNN Transcript Feb 2, 2004 2004

  • The Castillo de la Virgen guarded the pass, but the watchtower was the sentry post for the whole Sierra.

    Sharpe's Enemy Cornwell, Bernard 1984

  • Tomi, from the word meaning a kind of watchtower that could command a wide view, was one of the oyabun's various secretive quarters.

    Floating City Lustbader, Eric 1990

  • When, from his "watchtower," he first spied the disorders at

    The Age of the Reformation Preserved Smith 1910

  • If you hear the song you are in proximity to a 'watchtower'.

    Brad Ideas - Comments 2010

Comments

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  • see watcher

    February 18, 2008

  • Watchtowers are evocational symbols of spiritual beings known as the Watchers or the Grigori (in Strega.)

    February 18, 2008