01 n. Abstinence from sleep, whether at a time when sleep is customary or not; the act of keeping awake, or the state of being awake; sleeplessne…
-
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; sleeplessness; wakefulness; watch.“Nothing wears out a fine face like the vigils of the card table and those cutting passions which attend them.” — Addison.
-
2.
Hence, devotional watching; waking for prayer, or other religious exercises.“So they in heaven their odes and vigils tuned.” — Milton.“Be sober and keep vigil, The Judge is at the gate.” — Neale (Rhythm of St. Bernard).
-
3.
Originally, the watch kept on the night before a feast.(Eccl.)“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.
-
4.
A religious service performed in the evening preceding a feast.
Phrases & compounds
Vigils of flowers —
a peculiar faculty belonging to the flowers of certain plants of opening and closing their petals at certain hours of the day.