I. ˈgärd, ˈgȧd noun
( -s )
Etymology: Middle English garde, from Middle French, from Old French garde, guarde, from garder, guarder, v.
1. : one that defends against injury, danger, or attack
his greatness was no guard to bar heaven's shaft — Shakespeare
as
a. : a bowl or stone played to a position where it protects another from attack in bowls or curling
b. : a low card held with a valuable higher card in the same suit
c.
(1) : one of two players on either side of the center in the line in football
(2) : either of two players stationed at the rear of the court in basketball whose play is primarily defensive
2. : a man or body of men stationed to protect or control a person or position: as
a. : a soldier, sailor, marine, or airman or a number of them on guard duty
guards were posted about the army camp
slipped past the palace guards
b. guards plural : troops attached to the person of a ruler (as a sovereign or governor)
Royal Horse Guards
Governor's Foot Guards
Grenadier Guards
Dragoon Guards
c. : a group loyal to a defeated person or to an outmoded principle
an Old Guard Republican
d.
(1) Britain : a railroad conductor
(2) : a brakeman or gateman (as on a train of an elevated railroad or subway)
e. : one who is responsible for the safety and discipline of inmates of a prison, reformatory, or other place of detention while they are within the institution, in transit to or from the institution, or on work detail
f. : an officer of a society (as a secret order) whose duty it is to prevent intrusion by nonmembers
g. : a gateman or watchman of a building or plant
3. obsolete : an ornamental trimming of lace or embroidery on the edge of a garment
4.
a. : a state of watchfulness and readiness against danger : state of standing in defense of a person or thing against possible injury, attack, or theft
standing guard over the treasure
b. : the service or duties of one who keeps military watch
assigned to guard duty on the border
5.
a. : a posture of defense (as in fencing or boxing) : the position of the body or the arms in defense
got a blow in under his guard
caught him off guard
kept his guard up to protect his face
b. : the position of a cricketer's bat held perpendicularly at a point where it will stop a straight bowled ball that would otherwise hit the wicket
6. : a fixture or attachment designed to protect or secure against injury, soiling, defacement, theft, or loss: as
a. : the part of a sword hilt that protects the hand
b. : a chain or band for holding in place or safeguarding from loss
belt guard
watch guard
c. : guard ring 1
d. : trigger guard
e. : fender
f. Britain : pilot 4a
7.
a. : a piece of protective body armor
nose guard
b. : any of various devices worn by contestants as a protection against injury to some part
shin guard
c. : the hard calcareous fusiform or subcylindrical piece which ensheathes the phragmacone and forms the rear end of the shell of belemnites — called also rostrum
8.
a. : a fence or rail to prevent falling from the deck of a ship
b. guards plural : an extension of the deck of a ship beyond the hull ; especially : the framework of timber in a side-wheel steamship protecting the paddle wheel and shaft
9.
a. : a projecting paper or cloth strip bound with book leaves onto which an insert (as a map or folding plate) is fastened — called also stub
b. : a narrow leaf usually 1/2 to 3/4 inches wide that compensates for an object mounted to a full page (as in a scrapbook or album) — called also stub
c. : the supporting paper applied in rebinding to the broken folds of the leaves of a book before sewing
d. : a paper or cloth strip added to the fold of the first and last section of a book for additional strength
II. verb
( -ed/-ing/-s )
Etymology: Middle French garder, from Old French garder, guarder to ward, guard, of Germanic origin; akin to Old High German wartēn to watch, take care — more at ward
transitive verb
1. : to finish and protect an edge of with an ornamental border or lace edging
2.
a. : to protect from danger : defend , shield
b. : to stand on the border or at the entrance of as if on guard
lawns guarded by stately elms
or as a barrier
rapids guarding the lower reaches of the river
c. : to protect (a card or a man) in a game by safeguards or support
forced to discard diamonds in order to guard the king of clubs
the separated pawns could not both be guarded
3. archaic : to accompany for protection : escort
4.
a. : to watch over so as to prevent escape
a closely guarded secret
guard a prisoner
or restrain from violence or indiscretion
warned her to guard her tongue in the presence of these people — L.C.Douglas
b. of a player in a goal game : to maintain a position so as to prevent (an opponent) from playing effectively
5. : to furnish with proper checks or corrections : safeguard
guard an experiment
6. : to equip (as a book, a machine, a window) with a guard
intransitive verb
: to watch by way of caution or defense : be in a state or position of defense
hitting with his right, guarding with his left
: stand guard : take precautions
guard against mistakes by double-checking
Synonyms: see defend