Watchings of flowers

Watchings of flowers
Vigil Vig"il, n. [OE. vigile, L. vigilia, from vigil awake, watchful, probably akin to E. wake: cf. F. vigile. See {Wake}, v. i., and cf. {Reveille}, {Surveillance}, {Vedette}, {Vegetable}, {Vigor}.] 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.'' --Macaulay. [1913 Webster]

Nothing wears out a fine face like the vigils of the card table and those cutting passions which attend them. --Addison. [1913 Webster]

2. Hence, devotional watching; waking for prayer, or other religious exercises. [1913 Webster]

So they in heaven their odes and vigils tuned. --Milton. [1913 Webster]

Be sober and keep vigil, The Judge is at the gate. --Neale (Rhythm of St. Bernard). [1913 Webster]

3. (Eccl.) (a) Originally, the watch kept on the night before a feast. (b) Later, the day and the night preceding a feast. [1913 Webster]

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. [1913 Webster] (c) A religious service performed in the evening preceding a feast. [1913 Webster]

{Vigils of flowers} or {Watchings of flowers} (Bot.), a peculiar faculty belonging to the flowers of certain plants of opening and closing their petals at certain hours of the day. [R.] [1913 Webster]


The Collaborative International Dictionary of English. 2000.

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  • Vigils of flowers — Vigil Vig il, n. [OE. vigile, L. vigilia, from vigil awake, watchful, probably akin to E. wake: cf. F. vigile. See {Wake}, v. i., and cf. {Reveille}, {Surveillance}, {Vedette}, {Vegetable}, {Vigor}.] 1. Abstinence from sleep, whether at a time… …   The Collaborative International Dictionary of English

  • Vigil — Vig il, n. [OE. vigile, L. vigilia, from vigil awake, watchful, probably akin to E. wake: cf. F. vigile. See {Wake}, v. i., and cf. {Reveille}, {Surveillance}, {Vedette}, {Vegetable}, {Vigor}.] 1. Abstinence from sleep, whether at a time when… …   The Collaborative International Dictionary of English

  • Holy Week — • The week which precedes the great festival of the Resurrection on Easter Sunday, and which consequently is used to commemorate the Passion of Christ, and the event which immediately led up to it Catholic Encyclopedia. Kevin Knight. 2006. Holy… …   Catholic encyclopedia

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