waakt

Waakt is the third-person singular present tense of the Dutch verb waken, meaning to stay awake, to be vigilant, or to keep watch. It can express that someone is awake (hij waakt) or that someone watches over another person or a place (zij waakt over haar kinderen). In a nominal sense, waak denotes a vigil or watch, a concept encountered mainly in formal or literary Dutch.

Etymology and related terms: Waakt derives from waken, which is related to the English wake and the German wachen. The development traces back to Proto-Germanic roots for waking and watching. Related Dutch words include waakzaam (watchful), waakzaamheid (vigilance), and waakpost (guard post).

Usage notes: Waakt is typically used in formal, literary, or ceremonial contexts. In everyday speech, speakers may prefer synonyms such as blijven wakker or opletten, depending on nuance. The phrase waakt over is common to indicate guarding, supervising, or safeguarding something or someone: bijvoorbeeld een ouder waakt over zijn kind.

Examples:

- De bewaker waakt bij de ingang.

- Zij waakt over haar zieke partner.

- Het team waakt over de veiligheid van het stadion.