watchword
/ˈwɒtʃwɜːd/ (bre, ipa) · [wˈɑtʃwˌɚd] /ˈwɑːtʃwɜːrd/ (ame, ipa) · [wˈɑtʃwˌɚd] /ˈwäch-ˌwərd How to pronounce watchword (audio) ˈwȯch-/ (ame, mw)
watchword — noun
- watchwordsingular
- watchwordsplural
1. a word or short phrase that sums up the most important beliefs, rules, or goals
a word or short phrase that sums up the most important beliefs, rules, or goals directing the way a person or group acts — for example, 'safety' being the watchword of a construction team, or 'fair trade' the watchword of a cooperative.
Environmental protection became the watchword for Kwame's company after the oil spill.
collocation: become the watchword + for
For nurse Heather, 'patient first' was not just a slogan but a daily watchword.
watchword contrasted with slogan
Safety has remained the watchword on the construction site since the accident.
Transparency and fairness are the watchwords that guide every decision at the clinic.
The community centre adopted inclusion as its watchword for the coming year.
- motto
motto is usually the fixed formal saying of an institution, while watchword can be more situational or informal
- slogan
slogan focuses on public persuasion or advertising; watchword emphasises internal guidance and belief
- byword
byword suggests something widely associated with a person or place (e.g., 'Greece is a byword for democracy'); watchword is more deliberately chosen
- rallying cry
rallying cry is used to unite people for action; watchword can be quieter, more about principle than mobilisation
文法句型
watchword + for + [group/organisation]
watchword + of + [group]
possessive + watchword
用法筆記
Often used with a possessive determiner ('their watchword', 'our watchword') or in the pattern 'something is the watchword of someone.' The word implies a guiding ideal rather than a casual slogan.
常見錯誤
2. a word that identifies a person as belonging to a particular group, which the pe
a word that identifies a person as belonging to a particular group, which the person must speak aloud to prove their identity or to be let in — similar to a password but used mainly in historical or spy-related contexts rather than with computers.
The guards asked for the watchword before allowing anyone through the gate.
collocation: ask for the watchword
Only members who knew the watchword could gain entry to the secret meeting.
Lucas whispered the watchword to the doorman and was let inside the club.
The resistance fighters changed their watchword every week to avoid capture.
Without the correct watchword, Jack could not pass through the checkpoint.
- password
password is the modern everyday term for digital or spoken authentication; watchword is the older, more dramatic equivalent
- countersign
countersign is the reply given after a sentry's challenge; watchword is the initial sign of recognition
- passphrase
passphrase is usually longer and used for cryptographic security; watchword is shorter and more about identity
文法句型
the watchword
give + the + watchword
know + the + watchword
用法筆記
This sense is dated or historical in modern English; it appears mostly in novels, films, and discussions of wartime espionage. In everyday contexts, 'password' (for computers) or 'codeword' (for classified operations) is more common.