I.a lying out of the house.
I. In gen., Plaut. Cas. prol. 54.—Far more freq. and class.,
II. In partic., a lying out on guard, a watching, keeping watch (cf.: “custodia, vigiliae, insomnia): si haec arma, si Capitolinae cohortes, si excubiae, si vigiliae, etc.,” Cic. Mil. 25, 67; id. Phil. 7, 9, 24; id. Planc. 42, 101; Tac. A. 13, 18; id. H. 4, 11; Suet. Aug. 23; 30; Verg. A. 9, 159 et saep.: “tristes (i. e. severae) vigilum canum,” Hor. C. 3, 16, 3: “grues excubias habent nocturnis temporibus,” Plin. 10, 23, 30, § 59.—Poet.: centum aras posuit vigilemque sacraverat ignem, Excubias divum aeternas, Verg. A. 4, 200. —
B. Transf., concr., persons keeping watch, a watch, guard: “num excubias transiret,” Tac. A. 14, 44: “inter excubias militum pernoctavit,” Suet. Claud. 10.