Nothing wears out a fine face like the vigils of the
card table and those cutting passions which attend
them. --Addison.
2. Hence, devotional watching; waking for prayer, or other
religious exercises.
So they in heaven their odes and vigils tuned.
--Milton.
Be sober and keep vigil, The Judge is at the gate.
--Neale
(Rhythm of St.
Bernard).
3. (Eccl.)
(a) Originally, the watch kept on the night before a
feast.
(b) Later, the day and the night preceding a feast.
He that shall live this day, and see old age,
Will yearly on the vigil feast his neighbors,
And say, ``To-morrow is St. Crispian.'' --Shak.
(c) A religious service performed in the evening preceding
a feast.
{Vigils, or Watchings}, {of flowers} (Bot.), a peculiar
faculty belonging to the flowers of certain plants of
opening and closing their petals as certain hours of the
day. [R.]