noun
Meaning 1
A guard dog.
Definition source: English Wiktionary via Wiktextract
No example sentence was provided for this meaning.
Meaning relationships
Synonyms: none provided
Antonyms: none provided
Standard Lemma guide
watchdog
Definitions and examples are grouped by meaning. Pronunciation, history, word forms, translations, descendants, synonyms, antonyms, derived terms, and related words appear whenever the source provides them.
Sound
Pronunciation
Each Play button uses your device's default local English voice, or a natural local fallback. The selected voice name appears after playback. This is synthesized speech, not a source recording.
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General-American: /ˈwɑːt͡ʃˌdɑːɡ/
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Received-Pronunciation: /ˈwɒt͡ʃˌdɒɡ/
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Southern-England: Recorded audio is listed in the source snapshot.
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US: Recorded audio is listed in the source snapshot.
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CMU ARPABET: W AA1 CH D AO2 G Digits mark lexical stress: 1 primary, 2 secondary, 0 unstressed.
noun
Meaning 2
An individual or group that monitors the activities of another entity (such as an individual, corporation, non-profit group, or governmental organization) on behalf of the public to ensure that entity does not behave illegally or unethically.
Definition source: English Wiktionary via Wiktextract
Usage: figuratively
No example sentence was provided for this meaning.
Meaning relationships
Synonyms: none provided
Antonyms: none provided
noun
Meaning 3
Ellipsis of watchdog timer.
Definition source: English Wiktionary via Wiktextract
Usage: abbreviation, alt-of, ellipsis
Topics: business, computing, electrical-engineering, electricity, electromagnetism, electronics, energy, engineering, mathematics, natural-sciences, physical-sciences, physics, sciences
No example sentence was provided for this meaning.
Meaning relationships
Synonyms: none provided
Antonyms: none provided
verb
Meaning 4
To perform a function analogous to that of a watchdog; to guard and warn.
Definition source: English Wiktionary via Wiktextract
No example sentence was provided for this meaning.
Meaning relationships
Synonyms: none provided
Antonyms: none provided
verb
Meaning 5
To be continuously reset by a watchdog timer.
Definition source: English Wiktionary via Wiktextract
Topics: business, electrical-engineering, electricity, electromagnetism, electronics, energy, engineering, natural-sciences, physical-sciences, physics
No example sentence was provided for this meaning.
Meaning relationships
Synonyms: none provided
Antonyms: none provided
noun
Meaning 6
a dog trained to guard property
Definition source: Princeton WordNet 3.0
No example sentence was provided for this meaning.
Meaning relationships
Synonyms: guard dog
Antonyms: none provided
Broader terms: working dog
Narrower terms: kuvasz, attack dog, housedog, schipperke, pinscher
noun
Meaning 7
a guardian or defender against theft or illegal practices or waste
Definition source: Princeton WordNet 3.0
Examples
- she is the global watchdog for human rights abuses
Meaning relationships
Synonyms: none provided
Antonyms: none provided
Broader terms: defender, guardian, protector, shielder
History
Etymology
From watch + dog.
Across languages
Translations
24 source translations are retained for this English entry.
- Bulgarian: пазител (pazitel) — individual or group that monitors
- Chinese Mandarin: 監視人 /监视人 (jiānshìrén) — individual or group that monitors
- Chinese Mandarin: 監管機構 /监管机构 (jiānguǎn jīgòu) — individual or group that monitors
- Dutch: waakhond — individual or group that monitors
- Finnish: vahtikoira — individual or group that monitors
- Italian: supervisore — individual or group that monitors
- Italian: comitato di controllo — individual or group that monitors
- Japanese: 監視委員会 (kanshi iinkai) — individual or group that monitors
- Japanese: 監視者 (kanshisha) — individual or group that monitors
- Japanese: 監視人 (kanshinin) — individual or group that monitors
- Portuguese: vigilância — individual or group that monitors
- Romanian: arbitru — individual or group that monitors
- Romanian: organism de control — individual or group that monitors
- Russian: контролёр (kontroljór) — individual or group that monitors
- Swedish: tillsynsorgan — individual or group that monitors
- Swedish: tillsyningsman — individual or group that monitors
- Swedish: tillsynsman — individual or group that monitors
- Swedish: vakthund — individual or group that monitors
- Swedish: väktare — individual or group that monitors
- Swedish: kontrollorgan — individual or group that monitors
- Swedish: övervakningsorgan — individual or group that monitors
- Bulgarian: пазя (pazja) — guard and warn
- Finnish: vartioida — guard and warn
- Finnish: olla vartiossa — guard and warn