Vigil \Vig"il\, n. [OE. vigile, L. vigilia, from vigil awake, watchful, probably akin to E. wake: cf. F. vigile. See Wake, v. i., and cf. Reveille, Surveillance, Vedette, Vegetable, Vigor.]

1. Abstinence from sleep, whether at a time when sleep is customary or not; the act of keeping awake, or the state of being awake, or the state of being awake; sleeplessness; wakefulness; watch. ``Worn out by the labors and vigils of many months.'' --Macaulay.

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.]

Source: Webster's Revised Unabridged Dictionary (1913)