▪ I. † watch-bill1 Obs.
[f. watch n. + bill n.1]
A watchman's bill or halberd.
1665 Depos. Cast. York (Surtees) 128 He had slaine a monster with one watch bill or broome hooke. 1688 Ibid. 284 One James Turpin, who was one of the watch,..endeavoured to putt out the fire with his watchbill. ? c 1830 A. Wilson in Axon Folk Song Lancs. (1870) 36 There's snakes an' watchbills, just loike poikes. |
▪ II. watch-bill2 Naut.
[f. watch n. + bill n.3]
(See quot. 1815.)
1813 Niles' Weekly Reg. 10 July 304/1 The Shannon had a crew of 376 picked men by her watch-bill. 1815 Falconer's Dict. Marine (ed. Burney), Watch-Bill, a list of the petty officers, seamen, and marines, of a ship of war, which..points out the station of each man, and what watch he belongs to. 1875 Bedford Sailor's Pocket Bk. i. (ed. 2) 18 This abbreviated table is sufficiently compact to allow of its being copied into the watch-bill. |