Etymology Journal ยท N
Not on my watch
Meaning
- A dramatic way to say that you will not allow something to happen while you are in charge. It suggests you are the guardian of a situation.
Serious, protective
Used in a sentence
- You are not going to skip school while I am your father, not on my watch.
- We will not let the standards of this company drop, not on my watch.
- Not on my watch will these kids go hungry.
The backstory
The term comes from military and naval tradition, where an officer would be in charge during a specific watch shift. It implies a duty of protection during your active hours.
Heard in
Nationwide
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