Thesaurus: deathwatch

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1. n. A small beetle (Anobium tessellatum and other allied species). By forcibly striking its head against woodwork it makes a ticking sound, which is a call of the sexes to each other, but has been imagined by superstitious people to presage death.
2. n. A small wingless insect, of the family Psocidae, which makes a similar but fainter sound; -- called also deathtick.
3. n. The guard set over a criminal before his execution.
4. n. minute wingless psocopterous insects injurious to books and papers
5. n. bores through wood making a ticking sound popularly thought to presage death
6. 1. (Zoöl.) (a) A small beetle (Anobium tessellatum and other allied species). By forcibly striking its head against woodwork it makes a ticking sound, which is a call of the sexes to each other, but has been imagined by superstitious people to presage death. (b) A small wingless insect, of the family Psocidæ, which makes a similar but fainter sound; -- called also deathtick. She is always seeing apparitions and hearing deathwatches. Addison. I did not hear the dog howl, mother, or the deathwatch beat. Tennyson. 2. The guard set over a criminal before his execution.
7. n:100 n minute wingless psocopterous insects injurious to books and papers n bores through wood making a ticking sound popularly thought to presage death