watchdog
watchdog
Definition
watch·dog (-dôg′)
noun
- a dog kept to guard property, as by barking
- a person or group that keeps watch in order to prevent waste, unethical practices, etc.
transitive verb
to act as a watchdog over
watchdog
Usage Examples
Preposition: on
- surveillance: A human rights group formed in 1990 as a watchdog on surveillance by governments and corporations.
Converse of subject
- criticize: Tesco rapped over ' local ' advert Supermarket Tesco is criticized by a watchdog over a misleading advert about ' local ' produce.
Converse of object
- say: However campaigners who have fought for nearly two years said the health watchdog 's salvo was " too little, too late " .
Adjective modifier
- toothless: History A voluntary Press Council existed for some 40 years, which was generally considered a toothless watchdog.
- independent: There will also be a " new, independent watchdog " to monitor the quality of roadworks.
- postal: Postwatch, the postal services watchdog, says 15 million items go missing every year.
- parliamentary: Some of our supposed parliamentary watchdogs will need to be much more awake to the bill's dangers than they have been.
- nuclear: The nuclear watchdog 's work to promote safe nuclear energy was also commended.
- un: No wonder the Americans call this agency the UN watchdog, the term that is demeaning and condescending to the integrity of this organization.
Modifies a noun
- energywatch: She was helping hand over an ultimatum from consumer watchdog Energywatch to the industry regulator, Ofgem.
- timer: The watchdog timer now operates on a 20 day cycle.
- agency: The Consumer Council for Water is a national consumer watchdog agency for the water industry.
Noun used with modifier
- electricity: Ends Notes to Editor energywatch is the gas and electricity consumer watchdog.
- consumer: The Consumer Council for Water is a national consumer watchdog agency for the water industry.
- sleaze: The Prime Minister has been slammed by the Government's sleaze watchdog headed by Sir Alistair Graham who was appointed by Tony Blair.
- telecoms: An information campaign by the telecoms watchdog Oftel would have made things a lot clearer.
- spending: An analysis by Scotland's spending watchdog, Audit Scotland, shows 933 jobs have been moved or are moving.. .
- exam: Sex exams ' possible ' Pupils may be required to sit tests on sex studies under new proposals from the exams watchdog.
Possessives
- government: The Prime Minister has been slammed by the Government's sleaze watchdog headed by Sir Alistair Graham who was appointed by Tony Blair.
Preposition: for
- gas: Note to Editors energywatch is the independent watchdog for gas and electricity consumers.
Browse dictionary entries near watchdog
- watchcase
- watchband
- watch pocket
- watch over
- watch out
- watch one's p's and q's
- watch night
- watch fire
- watch chain
- watch cap
- watched
- watcher
- watchful
- watchfully
- watchfulness
- Watchguard
- watching
- watchmaker
- watchmaking
- watchman
