dogwatch
Short evening shift
A dogwatch is one of two shortened watches on a ship, each lasting two hours rather than the standard four, typically from 4–6 PM and 6–8 PM.
The split allows the watch schedule to rotate daily so sailors don't stand the same watches every day.
The term sometimes extends to any late-night or early-morning work shift: I pulled the dogwatch at the factory last night.
Movement or work period
- helmVessel's steering mechanism
- starboardVessel's right-hand side
- portDocking place for ships
- bowRespectful forward inclination
stern · deck · forecastle · mariner · seafarer · quartermaster · coxswain · crew
Light after sunset
- duskDimming after sundown
- sunsetDay yielding to darkness
- nightfallOnset of darkness
- gloamingPoetic term for dusk
eventide · suppertime · dimming · evening · crepuscular
Watcher or vista point
- watchfulCarefully attentive, observant
- sentryGuard on duty
- observationAttentive watching or remark
- monitoringOngoing observation of something
alertness · surveillance · patrol · guard · oversight · watchman · sentinel · spotter
shift
Movement or work period
bow · stern · deck · forecastle · mariner · seafarer · quartermaster · coxswain · crew · duty
twilight
Light after sunset
gloaming · eventide · suppertime · dimming · evening · crepuscular
lookout
Watcher or vista point
- watchfulCarefully attentive, observant
- sentryGuard on duty
- observationAttentive watching or remark
monitoring · alertness · surveillance · patrol · guard · oversight · watchman · sentinel · spotter
- work shiftsday shift, night shift, evening shift, morning shift, swing shift
- seamanshipseamanship, steering, anchoring, navigation, chartwork
- naval traditionscrossing the line, ringing bells, ship christening, ship's bell, colors
- military slangFUBAR, hoorah, SNAFU, GI, grunt
dogwatchday shift
Work period during sunlight
first shift · prime time · regular hours · banker's hours · nine-to-five
dog, watch, watching, watched, dogs, watchdog, watches, doggone, dogging