Definition of Vigil

1. Noun. A period of sleeplessness.

Generic synonyms: Wakefulness

2. Noun. The rite of staying awake for devotional purposes (especially on the eve of a religious festival).
Exact synonyms: Watch
Generic synonyms: Religious Rite, Rite
Specialized synonyms: Viewing, Wake, Agrypnia
Category relationships: Faith, Religion, Religious Belief

3. Noun. A purposeful surveillance to guard or observe.
Exact synonyms: Watch
Generic synonyms: Surveillance
Specialized synonyms: Continuous Receiver Watch, Listening Watch, Spying
Derivative terms: Watch, Watch, Watch, Watch, Watch

Definition of Vigil

1. n. Abstinence from sleep, whether at a time when sleep is customary or not; the act of keeping awake, or the state of being awake, or the state of being awake; sleeplessness; wakefulness; watch.

2. n. Abstinence from sleep, whether at a time when sleep is customary or not; the act of keeping awake, or the state of being awake, or the state of being awake; sleeplessness; wakefulness; watch.

Definition of Vigil

1. Noun. a watch kept during normal sleeping hours, especially over the body of a recently deceased or dying person ¹

2. Noun. a period of observation or surveillance ¹

3. Noun. the eve of some religious festival in which staying awake is part of the ritual devotions ¹

¹ Source: wiktionary.com

Definition of Vigil

1. a period of watchfulness maintained during normal sleeping hours [n -S]

Medical Definition of Vigil

1. 1. Abstinence from sleep, whether at a time when sleep is customary or not; the act of keeping awake, or the state of being awake, or the state of being awake; sleeplessness; wakefulness; watch. "Worn out by the labors and vigils of many months." "Nothing wears out a fine face like the vigils of the card table and those cutting passions which attend them." (Addison) 2. Hence, devotional watching; waking for prayer, or other religious exercises. "So they in heaven their odes and vigils tuned." (Milton) "Be sober and keep vigil, The Judge is at the gate." (Neale (Rhythm of St. Bernard)) 3. Originally, the watch kept on the night before a feast. Later, the day and the night preceding a feast. "He that shall live this day, and see old age, Will yearly on the vigil feast his neighbors, And say, "To-morrow is St. Crispian."" (Shak) A religious service performed in the evening preceding a feast. Vigils, or Watchings, of flowers, a peculiar faculty belonging to the flowers of certain plants of opening and closing their petals as certain hours of the day. Origin: OE. Vigile, L. Vigilia, from vigil awake, watchful, probably akin to E. Wake: cf. F. Vigile. See Wake, and cf. Reveille, Surveillance, Vedette, Vegetable, Vigor. Source: Websters Dictionary (01 Mar 1998)

Lexicographical Neighbors of Vigil

vifda
vifdas
vife
vig
viga
vigabatrin
vigas
vigen-
vigenary
vigesimal
vigesimation
vigesimo-quarto
vigezzite
vigia
vigias
vigil (current term)
vigil candle
vigil light
vigilambulism
vigilance
vigilance committee
vigilance man
vigilances
vigilancies
vigilancy
vigilant
vigilante
vigilanteism
vigilantelike
vigilantes

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