Results 1 to 16 of 16

Thread: Slang for "to stand on watch"

  1. #1
    Завсегдатай kalinka_vinnie's Avatar
    Join Date
    Dec 2004
    Location
    Sunnyvale, Cali
    Posts
    5,771
    Rep Power
    18

    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)
    Hei, rett norsken min og du er død.
    I am a notourriouse misspeller. Be easy on me.
    Пожалуйста! Исправляйте мои глупые ошибки (но оставьте умные)!
    Yo hablo español mejor que tú.
    Trusnse kal'rt eturule sikay!!! ))

  2. #2
    Новичок
    Join Date
    Sep 2006
    Posts
    6
    Rep Power
    12
    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!

  3. #3
    Завсегдатай kalinka_vinnie's Avatar
    Join Date
    Dec 2004
    Location
    Sunnyvale, Cali
    Posts
    5,771
    Rep Power
    18
    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...
    Hei, rett norsken min og du er død.
    I am a notourriouse misspeller. Be easy on me.
    Пожалуйста! Исправляйте мои глупые ошибки (но оставьте умные)!
    Yo hablo español mejor que tú.
    Trusnse kal'rt eturule sikay!!! ))

  4. #4
    Властелин charlestonian's Avatar
    Join Date
    Aug 2006
    Location
    Local bar
    Posts
    1,477
    Rep Power
    13
    Lookout it is
    Well, I don't know what to say. I want to say thanks to the Academy, to Mama, to Papa and to my dog. I love you all.

  5. #5
    DDT
    DDT is offline
    Завсегдатай DDT's Avatar
    Join Date
    Jul 2004
    Location
    I have given up the Gambling, the Wine and the Cows!.. I'm in St Petersburg Russia
    Posts
    3,368
    Rep Power
    17
    "Pulling gaurd duty"
    Let me be a free man, free to travel, free to stop, free to work, free to trade where I choose, free to choose my own teachers, free to follow the religion of my fathers, free to talk, think and act for myself. - Chief Joseph, Nez Perce

  6. #6
    Завсегдатай sperk's Avatar
    Join Date
    Aug 2006
    Location
    США
    Posts
    2,285
    Rep Power
    16

    Re: Slang for "to stand on watch"

    "on the lookout"
    Кому - нары, кому - Канары.

  7. #7
    Властелин charlestonian's Avatar
    Join Date
    Aug 2006
    Location
    Local bar
    Posts
    1,477
    Rep Power
    13
    To be on the lookout
    Well, I don't know what to say. I want to say thanks to the Academy, to Mama, to Papa and to my dog. I love you all.

  8. #8
    Старший оракул
    Join Date
    Oct 2005
    Location
    Almaty (former Alma-Ata), Kazakhstan
    Posts
    920
    Rep Power
    13
    Стоять на шухере
    Please correct my mistakes if you can, especially article usage.
    My avatar shall be the author I'm currently reading.

  9. #9
    Завсегдатай
    Join Date
    Feb 2004
    Location
    Seventh
    Posts
    4,113
    Rep Power
    18
    I stood in by the door on watch, or as my friend put ' like a pedophile at the school gates'.
    Ingenting kan stoppa mig
    In Post-Soviet Russia internet porn downloads YOU!

  10. #10
    DDT
    DDT is offline
    Завсегдатай DDT's Avatar
    Join Date
    Jul 2004
    Location
    I have given up the Gambling, the Wine and the Cows!.. I'm in St Petersburg Russia
    Posts
    3,368
    Rep Power
    17
    A stoolie or stool pidgeon.
    Let me be a free man, free to travel, free to stop, free to work, free to trade where I choose, free to choose my own teachers, free to follow the religion of my fathers, free to talk, think and act for myself. - Chief Joseph, Nez Perce

  11. #11
    Завсегдатай kalinka_vinnie's Avatar
    Join Date
    Dec 2004
    Location
    Sunnyvale, Cali
    Posts
    5,771
    Rep Power
    18
    Now we are getting somewhere!

    Hei, rett norsken min og du er død.
    I am a notourriouse misspeller. Be easy on me.
    Пожалуйста! Исправляйте мои глупые ошибки (но оставьте умные)!
    Yo hablo español mejor que tú.
    Trusnse kal'rt eturule sikay!!! ))

  12. #12
    Почтенный гражданин
    Join Date
    Jul 2005
    Location
    Toto, we're back in Kansas! Oh, Crap!!!
    Posts
    663
    Rep Power
    13
    Quote 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.

  13. #13
    Почтенный гражданин
    Join Date
    Jul 2005
    Location
    Toto, we're back in Kansas! Oh, Crap!!!
    Posts
    663
    Rep Power
    13
    Quote 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.

  14. #14
    Завсегдатай chaika's Avatar
    Join Date
    May 2003
    Location
    Чапелхилловка, NC USA
    Posts
    1,986
    Rep Power
    19
    keeping my eyes peeled for the feds.

  15. #15
    Завсегдатай kalinka_vinnie's Avatar
    Join Date
    Dec 2004
    Location
    Sunnyvale, Cali
    Posts
    5,771
    Rep Power
    18
    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?
    Hei, rett norsken min og du er død.
    I am a notourriouse misspeller. Be easy on me.
    Пожалуйста! Исправляйте мои глупые ошибки (но оставьте умные)!
    Yo hablo español mejor que tú.
    Trusnse kal'rt eturule sikay!!! ))

  16. #16
    Почтенный гражданин
    Join Date
    Jul 2005
    Location
    Toto, we're back in Kansas! Oh, Crap!!!
    Posts
    663
    Rep Power
    13
    Quote 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.

Similar Threads

  1. Replies: 14
    Last Post: March 24th, 2010, 04:03 PM
  2. Replies: 2
    Last Post: March 16th, 2010, 12:13 PM
  3. How to say "Bless our home" and "Happy Holidays" in Russian?
    By Ruby Daniels in forum How do you Say... in Russian?
    Replies: 5
    Last Post: December 19th, 2009, 03:29 PM
  4. Replies: 3
    Last Post: August 24th, 2009, 04:10 PM
  5. "NIGHT WATCH" (Nochnoy dozor)
    By johnnydrum in forum Fun Stuff
    Replies: 8
    Last Post: March 28th, 2005, 04:57 PM

Posting Permissions

  • You may not post new threads
  • You may not post replies
  • You may not post attachments
  • You may not edit your posts
  •  


Russian Lessons                           

Russian Tests and Quizzes            

Russian Vocabulary