watchdog

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watch·dog

(wŏch′dôg′, -dŏg′)

1. A dog trained to guard people or property.

2. One who serves as a guardian or protector against waste, loss, or illegal practices.

watch′dog′ v.

American Heritage® Dictionary of the English Language, Fifth Edition. Copyright © 2016 by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. Published by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. All rights reserved.

watchdog

(ˈwɒtʃˌdɒɡ)

1. (Zoology) a dog kept to guard property

a. a person or group of persons that acts as a protector or guardian against inefficiency, illegal practices, etc

b. (as modifier): a watchdog committee.

Collins English Dictionary – Complete and Unabridged, 12th Edition 2014 © HarperCollins Publishers 1991, 1994, 1998, 2000, 2003, 2006, 2007, 2009, 2011, 2014

watch•dog

(ˈwɒtʃˌdɔg, -ˌdɒg)

n., v. -dogged, -dog•ging. n.

1. a dog kept to guard property.

2. a watchful guardian: a watchdog of the public morals.

v.t.

3. to watch carefully, esp. so as to detect illegal or unethical conduct.

[1600–10]

ThesaurusAntonymsRelated WordsSynonymsLegend:

Switch to new thesaurus

Noun	1.	watchdog - a guardian or defender against theft or illegal practices or waste; "she is the global watchdog for human rights abuses" defender, guardian, protector, shielder - a person who cares for persons or property
	2.	watchdog - a dog trained to guard property guard dog working dog - any of several breeds of usually large powerful dogs bred to work as draft animals and guard and guide dogs kuvasz - long-established Hungarian breed of tall light-footed but sturdy white dog; used also as a hunting dog attack dog - a watchdog trained to attack on command housedog - a dog trained to guard a house schipperke - breed of small stocky black dogs originally used as watchdogs on boats in the Netherlands and Belgium pinscher - any of three breeds of dogs whose ears and tail are usually cropped

watchdog

noun

1. guardian, monitor, inspector, protector, custodian, scrutineer the government's consumer watchdog, the Office of Fair Trading

2. guard dog A good watchdog can be a faithful friend as well as a deterrent to intruders.

Collins Thesaurus of the English Language – Complete and Unabridged 2nd Edition. 2002 © HarperCollins Publishers 1995, 2002

Translations

كَلْب الحِراسَه

vagthund

Wachhund

chien de garde

házõrzõ kutya

varîhundur

cane da guardia comitato di vigilanza addetto al controllo

vakthund

strážny pes

pes čuvaj

bekçi köpeği

看门狗

watchdog

[ˈwɒtʃdɒg]

A. N

1. (= guard dog) → perro m guardián

2. (fig) (= person) → guardián/ana m/f; (= organization) → organismo m protector
a consumer watchdog → un organismo que protege los intereses del consumidor

B. CPD watchdog committee N → comisión f protectora

Collins Spanish Dictionary - Complete and Unabridged 8th Edition 2005 © William Collins Sons & Co. Ltd. 1971, 1988 © HarperCollins Publishers 1992, 1993, 1996, 1997, 2000, 2003, 2005

watchdog

[ˈwɒtʃdɒg] n

(= animal) → chien m de garde

(= organization) → organisme m de contrôle

Collins English/French Electronic Resource. © HarperCollins Publishers 2005

watchdog

[ˈwɒtʃˌdɒg]

1. n → cane m da guardia (fig) → sorvegliante m/f

2. adj → di controllo
a watchdog committee → un comitato di controllo

Collins Italian Dictionary 1st Edition © HarperCollins Publishers 1995

watch

(wotʃ) noun

1. a small instrument for telling the time by, worn on the wrist or carried in the pocket of a waistcoat etc. He wears a gold watch; a wrist-watch.

2. a period of standing guard during the night. I'll take the watch from two o'clock till six.

3. in the navy etc, a group of officers and men who are on duty at a given time. The night watch come(s) on duty soon.

verb

1. to look at (someone or something). He was watching her carefully; He is watching television.

2. to keep a lookout (for). They've gone to watch for the ship coming in; Could you watch for the postman?

3. to be careful of (someone or something). Watch (that) you don't fall off!; Watch him! He's dangerous.

4. to guard or take care of. Watch the prisoner and make sure he doesn't escape; Please watch the baby while I go shopping.

5. to wait for (a chance, opportunity etc). Watch your chance, and then run.

ˈwatcher noun

ˈwatchful adjective

alert and cautious. watchful eyes; If you are watchful you will not be robbed.

ˈwatchfully adverb

ˈwatchfulness noun

ˈwatchdog noun

a dog which guards someone's property etc. We leave a watchdog in our office at night to scare away thieves.

ˈwatchmaker noun

a person who makes and repairs watches, clocks etc.

ˈwatchman noun

(often ˌnight-ˈwatchman) a man employed to guard a building etc against thieves, especially at night. The bank-robbers shot the (night-)watchman.

ˈwatchtower noun

an old word for a tower on which a lookout is posted.

ˈwatchword noun

a motto or slogan used by members of a group of people who think (or act) alike. Let freedom be our watchword!

keep watch

to be on guard. He kept watch while the other soldiers slept.

watch one's step

to be careful what one does or says. He's in a bad mood, so watch your step and don't say anything wrong!

watch out (with for)

to be careful (of). Watch out for the cars!; Watch out! The police are coming!

watch over

to guard or take care of. The mother bird is watching over her young.

References in classic literature ?

Pinocchio is caught by a Farmer, who uses him as a watchdog for his chicken coop

In the meantime, since my watchdog died today, you may take his place and guard my henhouse."

If I were only like so many others and had studied and worked and stayed with my poor old father, I should not find myself here now, in this field and in the darkness, taking the place of a farmer's watchdog. Oh, if I could start all over again!

View in context

It was eleven o'clock, and I announced my intention of going in and waiting for him; at which he immediately flung down his tools and accompanied me, in the office of watchdog, not as a substitute for the host.

View in context

A small watchdog ran round barking in front of the harnessed horses.

View in context

"Yes," she said, "I must get a watchdog. But he won't bark at YOU." And, going into the other drawing-room, she sat down to the piano and began to sing little French songs in such a charming, thrilling voice that the mollified nobleman speedily followed her into that chamber, and might be seen nodding his head and bowing time over her.

View in context

In the dead hush of midnight, he could even hear the barking of the watchdog from the opposite shore of the Hudson; but it was so vague and faint as only to give an idea of his distance from this faithful companion of man.

View in context

He leaves Kleber in command, a great watchdog who passed in his checks at Cairo, murdered by an Egyptian whom they put to death by spiking him with a bayonet, which is their way of guillotining people out there; but he suffered so much, that a soldier took pity on the scoundrel and handed his flask to him; and the Egyptian turned up his eyes then and there with all the pleasure in life.

View in context

For several successive evenings the cattle assembled round the smouldering ruins, as if in anxious expectation of the return of their masters, while all night long the faithful watchdogs of the Neutrals howled over the scene of desolation, and mourned alike the hand that had fed, and the house that had sheltered them.

View in context

To keep watchdogs, who, from want of discipline or hunger, or some evil habit, or evil habit or other, would turn upon the sheep and worry them, and behave not like dogs but wolves, would be a foul and monstrous thing in a shepherd?

View in context

Unlike in Britain, businesses chose whether to opt-in to the watchdog.

PILLS ARE FAT LOAD OF GOOD

A watchdog group has given California Insurance Commissioner Ricardo Lara until July 31 to produce public records related to meetings with insurance industry representatives who reportedly gave him $54,300 in campaign contributions.

Consumer Group Gives California Insurance Commissioner to Month's End for Contributions Records

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