1. Plural of midwatch; the watch or shift on a ship from midnight to 4 a.m., or the sailors assigned to this duty.
Usage: nautical; chiefly British

Examples

• The crew rotated through the midwatches throughout the voyage.
• Sailors dreaded the midwatches because of the cold and darkness.
• During the midwatches, only essential personnel remained on deck.
• The captain assigned the most experienced sailors to the midwatches.
• Midwatches were typically the quietest time on the ship.