vigil, 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.].

Abstinence from sleep, whether at a time when sleep is customary or not; the act of keeping awake, or the state of being awake; sleeplessness; wakefulness; watch. Macaulay. [1913 Webster]
"Nothing wears out a fine face like the vigils of the card table and those cutting passions which attend them." [1913 Webster]
Hence, devotional watching; waking for prayer, or other religious exercises. [1913 Webster]
"So they in heaven their odes and vigils tuned." [1913 Webster]

"Be sober and keep vigil,
The Judge is at the gate." [1913 Webster]
Originally, the watch kept on the night before 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.”" [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.]

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OXFORD DICTIONARY

vigil, n.
1 a keeping awake during the time usually given to sleep, esp. to keep watch or pray (keep vigil). b a period of this.
2 Eccl. the eve of a festival or holy day.
3 (in pl.) nocturnal devotions.

Etymology

ME f. OF vigile f. L vigilia f. vigil awake

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THESAURUS

vigil

Mass, alertness, all-night vigil, bedtime prayer, camp meeting, church, church service, compline, consciousness, custodianship, custody, devotions, divine service, duty, eagle eye, evening devotions, evensong, exercises, guard, guardedness, guardianship, insomnia, insomniac, insomnolence, insomnolency, invigilation, lauds, lidless vigil, liturgy, lookout, matins, meeting, monitoring, morning devotions, night song, none, nones, novena, observance, office, peeled eye, praise meeting, prayer, prayer meeting, prayers, prime, prime song, proctoring, prudence, public worship, qui vive, restlessness, revival, revival meeting, sentience, service, sext, sharp eye, sleeplessness, stewardship, surveillance, tent meeting, tierce, tossing and turning, undersong, vesper, vespers, vigilance, vigils, wake, wakefulness, wariness, watch, watch and ward, watch meeting, watch night, watch-night service, watchful eye, watchfulness, watching, weather eye

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ROGET THESAURUS

vigil

Care

N care, solicitude, heed, heedfulness, scruple, watchfulness, vigilance, surveillance, eyes of Argus, watch, vigil, look out, watch and ward, loeil du maitre, alertness, attention, prudence &c, circumspection, anxiety, forethought, precaution, tidiness accuracy, minuteness, attention to detail, careful regardful, heedful, taking care, particular, prudent, considerate, thoughtful, provident, alert, sure-footed, guarded, on one's guard, on the qui vivre, on the alert, on watch, on the lookout, awake, broad awake, vigilant, watchful, wakeful, wistful, Argus-eyed, wide awake, on the watch for (expectant), tidy accurate, scrupulous, cavendo tutus, carefully, with care, gingerly, quis custodiet istos custodes?, who will watch the watchers?, care will kill a cat, ni bebas agua que no veas, O polished perturbation! Golden care!, the incessant care and labor of his mind.

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