Thread: Slang for "to stand on watch"

What would be an american slang term for a person who stands on watch, or the act of being on watch. I rack my brains, but can't think of anything...

I stood in by the door on watch, or as my friend put it: "<insert slang term here>"

Let's pretend I am Russian for this one (ref: forum English for Russians)

Watchman? Guard? Lookout? Sentinal? Patrolman? umm...these are the only ones I can think of off the top of my head. Hope this helps or is related to what you're looking for!

Nice ones, but they aren't really slang terms. I was looking for more street slang... something a criminal would say. Jailspeak, if you wish...

Lookout it is

"Pulling gaurd duty"

"on the lookout"

To be on the lookout

Стоять на шухере

I stood in by the door on watch, or as my friend put ' like a pedophile at the school gates'.

A stoolie or stool pidgeon.

Now we are getting somewhere!

Originally Posted by kalinka_vinnie

Now we are getting somewhere!

In American prison slang, often it is "walking the floor", or "floor-walking"... the noun for prison guards is often "screw"...

guard = screw (jailspeak)

...in the military, we would simply say "pulling duty", "pulling watch"... or simpler "OC or OD (Officer in Charge, or Officer on Duty, for officers). Common military terms.

Originally Posted by DDT

A stoolie or stool pidgeon.

I think of this as more of a "rat" or "mole"... think of the days of Stalin, with your neighbor spying on you... and "ratting" on you to the NKVD, and then the KGB in later years.

keeping my eyes peeled for the feds.

I stood by the door on watch, or as my friend put it: "floor-walking"

Hmm... no... doesn't sound "special enough" to warrant the emphasis.

I stood by the door on watch, or as my friend put it: "being the stoolie"...

I [a female, btw] stood by the door on watch, or as my friend put it: "the cutest alarm-system"... cheesy...

I stood by the door on watch, or as my friend put it: "a detector with breasts"...



They are stealing something... any suggestions?

Originally Posted by kalinka_vinnie

I stood by the door on watch, or as my friend put it: "floor-walking"

Hmm... no... doesn't sound "special enough" to warrant the emphasis.

I stood by the door on watch, or as my friend put it: "being the stoolie"...

I [a female, btw] stood by the door on watch, or as my friend put it: "the cutest alarm-system"... cheesy...

I stood by the door on watch, or as my friend put it: "a detector with breasts"...


They are stealing something... any suggestions?

NOW we know what you want.

The most common noun in crime stories would be "lookout".... maybe "spotter"... used by criminals, gangs, prisoners...

... sometimes also "the eyes", "our eyes", meaning the "lookout" or "spotter".

I was their eyes, while they were doin' the job... and the cutest eyes they could find.
("job" = slang for theft or crime... and "eyes" are used with two different meanings (lookout and pretty woman... clever )

I was their fox in high heels, spotting for them, while they broke into the jewelry store. (fox = old slang for very pretty woman... also, a metaphor for "clever and cunning"... good skills for a lookout... again, a clever use of one word, that becomes 2 meanings)

I was their smokin' hot lookout... and my Joe was their getaway man.

All of the examples are natural "street" English, and easily understandable. A few ideas for you.

"Detector with breasts"?? Not normal "street" English... not natural, no one would say this.

I can't think of any specific "street"/prison/crime slang other than these.

I recommend using common English... if you're writing a crime story, then I'd use "spotter", "lookout" or "eyes". This is more natural English, than trying to find some strange, uncommon synonym. Don't make it so difficult on yourself, Vinnie.