guard

[gahrd] /gɑrd/
verb (used with object)
1.
to keep safe from harm or danger; protect; watch over:
to guard the ruler.
2.
to keep under close watch in order to prevent escape, misconduct, etc.:
to guard a prisoner.
3.
to keep under control or restraint as a matter of caution or prudence:
to guard one's temper.
4.
to provide or equip with some safeguard or protective appliance, as to prevent loss, injury, etc.
5.
Sports. to position oneself so as to obstruct or impede the movement or progress of (an opponent on offense):
The linebacker moved to his right to guard the end going out for a pass.
6.
Chess. to protect (a piece or a square) by placing a piece in a supportive or defensive position relative to it.
verb (used without object)
7.
to take precautions (usually followed by against):
to guard against errors.
8.
to give protection; keep watch; be watchful.
noun
9.
a person or group of persons that guards, protects, or keeps a protective or restraining watch.
10.
a person who keeps watch over prisoners or others under restraint.
11.
a body of people, especially soldiers, charged with guarding a place from disturbance, theft, fire, etc.
12.
a close watch, as over a prisoner or other person under restraint:
to be kept under guard.
13.
a device, appliance, or attachment that prevents injury, loss, etc.
14.
something intended or serving to guard or protect; safeguard:
insurance as a guard against disasters.
15.
a posture of defense or readiness, as in fencing, boxing, or bayonet drill.
16.
Football.
  1. either of the linemen stationed between a tackle and the center.
  2. the position played by this lineman.
17.
Basketball. either of the players stationed in the backcourt.
18.
Chess. a piece that supports or defends another.
19.
Cards. a low card that is held with a high card of the same suit and that enables the holder to save the high card for a later trick.
20.
British. a railroad conductor.
21.
Guards, the name of certain bodies of troops in the British army.
Idioms
22.
off guard, unprepared; unwary:
The blow from behind caught him off guard.
Also, off one's guard.
23.
on guard, vigilant; wary:
on guard against dishonest merchants.
Also, on one's guard.
24.
stand guard over, to watch over; protect:
The dog stood guard over his wounded master.
Origin
1375-1425; late Middle English garde guardianship < Old French g(u)arde, noun derivative of g(u)arder (v.) < Germanic; see ward
Related forms
guardable, adjective
guarder, noun
guardless, adjective
guardlike, adjective
preguard, verb (used with object)
self-guard, noun
underguard, noun
unguardable, adjective
Synonyms
1. shield, shelter, safeguard; preserve, save. See defend. 3. hold, watch. 9. defender, protector; watchman, guardian; guardsman, sentry, sentinel, patrol. 14. defense, protection, aegis, security, safety; bulwark, shield.
Antonyms
1. attack.
Examples from the web for guard
  • There are guard dogs, who follow around security personnel, treating them as the alpha leaders of their packs.
  • With the cells open, the inmates overpower the guard and begin the largest riot in the prison's history.
  • The curriculum includes licensing programs for future merchant marine, coast guard and naval reserve officers.
  • The changing of the guard at the top of poker reflects this move into the mainstream.
  • And to guard against bugs, you'll need a mesh insert, also extra.
  • Another account simply says that the garment and buttons somehow found their way into the hands of a prison guard.
  • So a changing of the guard in the faculty or the administration is potentially difficult.
  • And he still seems bent on repaying election favours to a rapacious old guard.
  • Jealousy leads us to guard our mates against intruders in pair-bonded relationships.
  • The housing complex includes a small gym, laundry room and a security guard.
British Dictionary definitions for guard

guard

/ɡɑːd/
verb
1.
to watch over or shield (a person or thing) from danger or harm; protect
2.
to keep watch over (a prisoner or other potentially dangerous person or thing), as to prevent escape
3.
(transitive) to control: to guard one's tongue
4.
(intransitive) usually foll by against. to take precautions
5.
to control entrance and exit through (a gate, door, etc)
6.
(transitive) to provide (machinery, etc) with a device to protect the operator
7.
(transitive)
  1. (chess, cards) to protect or cover (a chess man or card) with another
  2. (curling, bowls) to protect or cover (a stone or bowl) by placing one's own stone or bowl between it and another player
8.
(transitive) (archaic) to accompany as a guard
noun
9.
a person or group who keeps a protecting, supervising, or restraining watch or control over people, such as prisoners, things, etc related adjective custodial
10.
a person or group of people, such as soldiers, who form a ceremonial escort: guard of honour
11.
(Brit) the official in charge of a train
12.
  1. the act or duty of protecting, restraining, or supervising
  2. (as modifier): guard duty
13.
(Irish) another word for garda
14.
a device, part, or attachment on an object, such as a weapon or machine tool, designed to protect the user against injury, as on the hilt of a sword or the trigger of a firearm
15.
anything that provides or is intended to provide protection: a guard against infection
16.
  1. another name for safety chain
  2. a long neck chain often holding a chatelaine
17.
See guard ring
18.
(sport) an article of light tough material worn to protect any of various parts of the body
19.
(basketball)
  1. the position of the two players in a team who play furthest from the basket
  2. a player in this position
20.
the posture of defence or readiness in fencing, boxing, cricket, etc
21.
(cricket) take guard, (of a batsman) to choose a position in front of the wicket to receive the bowling, esp by requesting the umpire to indicate his position relative to the stumps
22.
(cricket) give guard, (of an umpire) to indicate such a position to a batsman
23.
off one's guard, having one's defences down; unprepared
24.
on one's guard, prepared to face danger, difficulties, etc
25.
stand guard, (of a military sentry, etc) to keep watch
26.
mount guard
  1. (of a sentry) to begin to keep watch
  2. (with over) to take up a protective or defensive stance (over something)
Derived Forms
guardable, adjective
guarder, noun
guardless, adjective
guardlike, adjective
Word Origin
C15: from Old French garde, from garder to protect, of Germanic origin; compare Spanish guardar; see ward
Word Origin and History for guard
n.

early 15c., "one who keeps watch," from Middle French garde "guardian, warden, keeper; watching, keeping, custody," from Old French garder "to keep, maintain, preserve, protect" (corresponding to Old North French warder, see gu-), from Frankish *wardon, from Proto-Germanic *wardo- "to guard" (see ward (v.)). Abstract or collective sense of "a keeping, a custody" (as in bodyguard) also is from early 15c. Sword-play and fisticuffs sense is from 1590s. Guard-rail attested from 1860.

v.

mid-15c., from guard (n.) or from Old French garder "to keep watch over, guard, protect." Related: Guarded; guarding.

Slang definitions & phrases for guard

guard

Related Terms

home guard


guard in Technology

programming
1. In functional programming, a Boolean expression attached to a function definition specifying when (for what arguments) that definition is appropriate.
2. In (parallel) logic programming, a Boolean expression which is used to select a clause from several alternative matching clauses.
See Guarded Horn Clauses.
3. In parallel languages, a Boolean expression which specifies when an message may be sent or received.
(1995-05-09)

guard in the Bible

(1.) Heb. tabbah (properly a "cook," and in a secondary sense "executioner," because this office fell to the lot of the cook in Eastern countries), the bodyguard of the kings of Egypt (Gen. 37:36) and Babylon (2 Kings 25:8; Jer. 40:1; Dan. 2:14). (2.) Heb. rats, properly a "courier," one whose office was to run before the king's chariot (2 Sam. 15:1; 1 Kings 1:5). The couriers were also military guards (1 Sam. 22:17; 2 Kings 10:25). They were probably the same who under David were called Pelethites (1 Kings 14:27; 2 Sam. 15:1). (3.) Heb. mishmereth, one who watches (Neh. 4:22), or a watch-station (7:3; 12:9; Job 7:12). In the New Testament (Mark 6:27) the Authorized Version renders the Greek _spekulator_ by "executioner," earlier English versions by "hangman," the Revised Version by "soldier of his guard." The word properly means a "pikeman" or "halberdier," of whom the bodyguard of kings and princes was composed. In Matt. 27:65, 66; 28:11, the Authorized Version renders the Greek _kustodia_ by "watch," and the Revised Version by "guard," the Roman guard, which consisted of four soldiers, who were relieved every three hours (Acts 12:4). The "captain of the guard" mentioned Acts 28:16 was the commander of the Praetorian troops, whose duty it was to receive and take charge of all prisoners from the provinces.

Idioms and Phrases with guard

guard

see: