A lot of the below definitions of “wake” seem to be pretty straightforward, however there were quite a lot that were interesting to find. Some dealt with “watching” or “observing” and others might have dealt with more “nauticle-like” references:

• “The state of wakefulness esp. during normal hours of sleep. Obs. exc. in sleep and (or) wake, wake and dream.”
• “Abstinence from sleep, watching, practised as a religious observance: often coupled with fasting. Also, an instance of this; a night spent in devout watching (on the eve of a festival, of the reception of knighthood, etc.); a watch, vigil.”
• “The watching (esp. by night) of relatives and friends beside the body of a dead person from death to burial, or during a part of that time; the drinking, feasting, and other observances incidental to this. Now chiefly Anglo-Irish or with reference to Irish custom. Also applied to similar funeral customs in other times or among non-Christian peoples”
• “Used by Hogg for: A serenade, nocturnal song.”
• “With unfavourable implication: To sit up late for pleasure or revelry; to turn night into day”
• “To be active, alert, stirring, vigilant. Const. as above; also, to be diligent, exert oneself to(do something). to wake over, to occupy one’s mind with. Obs.”
• “Phrases. to fetch (get, get into, have) the wake of (a pursued vessel): to get so close to her as to be able to see, and steer by, her wake. to stay a weather of a wake:”
• “The disturbance caused by a body swimming, or moved, in water”
• “Naut. or quasi-nautical. in the wake of (a vessel); in her (its) wake, etc.: immediately behind, and (properly) in the actual track made by, a vessel; immediately backward and along the track made. Also used of any person or persons aboard, as in his, our, etc., wake; behind his, our, etc., vessel.”