Crossword Dictionary

What's The Definition Of Sentinel?

\Sen"ti*nel\, n. [F. sentinelle (cf. It. sentinella); probably originally, a litle path, the sentinel's beat,, and a dim. of a word meaning, path; cf. F. sente path. L. semita; and OF. sentine, sentele, senteret, diminutive words. Cf. {Sentry}.] 1. One who watches or guards; specifically (Mil.), a soldier set to guard an army, camp, or other place, from surprise, to observe the approach of danger, and give notice of it; a sentry. The sentinels who paced the ramparts. --Macaulay. 2. Watch; guard. [Obs.] ``That princes do keep due sentinel.'' --Bacon. 3. (Zo["o]l.) A marine crab ({Podophthalmus vigil}) native of the Indian Ocean, remarkable for the great length of its eyestalks; -- called also {sentinel crab}.
\Sen"ti*nel\, v. t. [imp. & p. p. {Sentineled}or {Sentinelled}; p. pr. & vb. n. {Sentineling} or {Sentinelling}.] 1. To watch over like a sentinel. ``To sentinel enchanted land.'' [R.] --Sir W. Scott. 2. To furnish with a sentinel; to place under the guard of a sentinel or sentinels.