1. (v. i.) Abstinence from sleep, whether at a time when sleep is customary or not; the act of keeping awake, or the state of being awake, or the state of being awake; sleeplessness; wakefulness; watch.

2. (v. i.) Hence, devotional watching; waking for prayer, or other religious exercises.

3. (v. i.) Originally, the watch kept on the night before a feast.

4. (v. i.) Later, the day and the night preceding a feast.

5. (n.) A religious service performed in the evening preceding a feast.

Mass alertness all-night vigil bedtime prayer camp meeting church church service compline consciousness custodianship custody devotions divine service duty eagle eye evening devotions evensong exercises guard guardedness guardianship insomnia insomniac insomnolence insomnolency invigilation lauds lidless vigil liturgy lookout matins meeting monitoring morning devotions night song none nones novena observance office peeled eye praise meeting prayer prayer meeting prayers prime prime song proctoring prudence public worship qui vive restlessness revival revival meeting sentience service sext sharp eye sleeplessness stewardship surveillance tent meeting tierce tossing and turning undersong vesper vespers vigilance vigils wake wakefulness wariness watch watch and ward watch meeting watch night watch-night service watchful eye watchfulness watching weather eye