Meaning & use
pocket watch
Last updated
Meaning
nouncountable
A watch with a round case, usually fixed to a chain, that is kept in a pocket and not worn on the wrist.
Grammar: Two words, plural pocket watches: he owned two pocket watches.
Patterns
- a pocket watch on a chain
My grandfather checked his pocket watch before every train.
The antique pocket watch still kept perfect time.
She wore a vest with a pocket watch chain across the front.
Word forms
| plural | pocket watches |
|---|
Common combinations
- antique pocket watch
- He found an antique pocket watch at the flea market.
- gold pocket watch
- A gold pocket watch was his retirement gift.
- wind a pocket watch
- He used to wind his pocket watch every morning.
- pocket watch chain
- A thin pocket watch chain hung from his vest.
- check a pocket watch
- The conductor stopped to check his pocket watch.
- inherit a pocket watch
- She inherited a pocket watch from her great-grandfather.
Synonyms and how they differ
- fob watch
- Fob watch is a British term for a small watch pinned to clothing or on a chain, and is a bit more specific than pocket watch.
- timepiece
- Timepiece is a formal word for any clock or watch, not just one kept in a pocket.
- wristwatch
- A wristwatch is worn on the wrist, which is the opposite of the traditional pocket watch.
Opposites
Word family
- watch noun
- a small clock worn or carried
- watchmaker noun
- a person who makes or repairs watches
- pocket noun
- a small bag sewn into clothing
- watch chain noun
- the chain that attaches a pocket watch to clothing
Commonly confused: pocket watch or stopwatch?
pocket watch vs stopwatch
A stopwatch is a device for timing events. A pocket watch tells the time of day and is carried in a pocket.
Practice
Which item is a pocket watch?
Choose one answer.
A pocket watch is carried in a pocket, often on a chain. A wrist band is worn on the wrist, and a wall clock hangs up.
Make it your own
Write a sentence using “pocket watch”, then check it and compare it with the examples above.