watchtower

plural watchtowers · alternative watch tower · alternative watch-tower

1. An observation tower in which a lookout keeps watch over prisoners, or looks out for fires, etc.

   A "watchtower" Website, keeping track of paedophile groups around the world, is expected to be up and running next year. The campaign will also liaise with law enforcement agencies around the world and share information on suspected Internet paedophiles.

   1999 June, “Unesco steps up fight against Internet paedophiles”, in BBC News

   2 more examples

   Redcap - A malevolent goblin easily distinguishable by their namesake red cap, fiery red eyes, claws and iron boots. They often appear as little old men, but can run very fast despite the boots. They reside in castles and watchtowers along the English-Scottish border, but will move their residence to avoid detection.

   2002, Cecilia Dart-Thornton, The Ill-Made Mute: The Bitterbynde

   Residents of Tungyin, a frontline islet under Taiwan’s Matsu islands cluster, said they spotted an unidentified aircraft flying overhead at 2.45pm on February 5, while video footage from the watchtower monitor showed an aircraft crossing the skies and flying out towards the east. The military commanding centre of Tungyin confirmed that “a fixed-wing twin-propeller aircraft [had] briefly entered the airspace and soon left”.

   2022 November 2, Minnie Chen, “Was it Beijing testing Taiwan’s defences with unidentified Matsu island flyover?”, in South China Morning Post, archived from the original on 11 Feb 2022, China Military

   Synonyms: lookout tower