Lexic.us

Definition of Vigil

1. Noun. A period of sleeplessness.

2. Noun. The rite of staying awake for devotional purposes (especially on the eve of a religious festival).

3. Noun. A purposeful surveillance to guard or observe.

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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