subs. (old cant).—1. Self: the ancient equivalent of NIBS (q.v.). Thus HIS WATCH = the person referred to; MY WATCH = myself; YOUR WATCH = yourself; OUR WATCH = ourselves, us, etc.
c. 1530. COPLAND, The Hye-way to the Spyttel-hous.
| Teare the patryng coue in the darkman cace | |
| Docked the dell for a coper meke; | |
| HIS WATCH shall feng a prounces nob-chete. |
1567. HARMAN, A Caveat or Warening for Common Cursetors (1869), 86. The vpright man canteth to the Roge; Man! That is beneshyp to OUR WATCHE.
1622. R. HEAD, The English Rogue, ‘Canting Song.’
| I met a Dell, I viewed her well, | |
| She was benship to MY WATCH. |
2. (Westminster).—A junior who has to remain in College during play-hours to answer inquiries, receive messages, and so forth, performing, in fact, the duties of a servant.
TO WATCH OUT, verb. phr. (Winchester, cricket).—To field.
c. 1840. MANSFIELD, School-Life at Winchester College, 138. Football wasn’t all beer and skittles to the Fags. There was an institution called ‘Kicking in,’ which, while it lasted, was much worse than WATCHING OUT at cricket.
PADDY’S WATCH. See PADDY-WHACK.
