first watch
Sunset to midnight
The first watch is the evening duty period on a ship, typically from 8 p.m. to midnight.
Naval and maritime vessels divide the day into watches—rotating shifts that ensure the ship is always crewed.
The first watch begins the night sequence: He drew first watch and wouldn't sleep until after midnight.
- lookoutWatcher or vista point
- sentryGuard on duty
- dogwatchShort maritime evening shift
- guardWatchful defensive attention
- watchkeepingSustained observation duty
vigil · third mate · night shift · sea duty · helmsman · all hands · shift · sentinel · darkness · post · naval · patrol · sailor · deck · timepiece · night · sea · quarterdeck
- Royal NavyRoyal Navy, admiral, warship, HMS Victory, battleship
- naval traditionscrossing the line, ringing bells, ship christening, ship's bell, colors
- ship timemidwatch, eight bells, ship's bell, watchkeeping, port and starboard
- firstsinitial, beginning, start, opening, original
- watch dutysentry, lookout, sentinel, guard, patrol
first, watch, watching, watchful, watcher, watchman, watches, first-rate, firstly