- (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.
- (n.) The guard set over a criminal before his execution.
- (n.) A small wingless insect, of the family Psocidae, which makes a similar but fainter sound; -- called also deathtick.
Webster's Revised Unabridged Dictionary
| APA | Webster's. (2011). deathwatch. Retrieved September 21, 2026, from http://smartdefine.org/deathwatch/definitions/1994725 |
| Chicago | Webster's. 2011. "deathwatch" http://smartdefine.org/deathwatch/definitions/1994725 (accessed September 21, 2026). |
| Harvard | Webster's 2011, deathwatch, Smart Define, viewed 21 September, 2026, <http://smartdefine.org/deathwatch/definitions/1994725>. |
| MLA | Webster's. "deathwatch" 27 May 2011. Web. 21 September 2026. <http://smartdefine.org/deathwatch/definitions/1994725> |