watchdog
UK /ˈwɒt͡ʃˌdɒɡ/ · US /ˈwɑːt͡ʃˌdɑːɡ/ noun, verb
Forms watchdogs watchdogging watchdogged
- noun A guard dog.
- noun (figurative) An individual or group that monitors the activities of another entity (such as an individual, corporation, non-profit group, or governmental organization) on behalf of the public to ensure that entity does not behave illegally or unethically.
- verb To perform a function analogous to that of a watchdog; to guard and warn.
- verb (electronics) To be continuously reset by a watchdog timer.
Synonyms
Etymology
From watch + dog.
Webster’s 1913
Sources: Wiktionary · WordNet 3.0 · Webster’s 1913 — from the Wiktionary entry “watchdog”, CC BY-SA 4.0. Details