(~s, ~ing, ~ed)
Frequency: The word is one of the 1500 most common words in English.
1.
If you ~ a place, person, or object, you stand near them in order to watch and protect them.
Gunmen ~ed homes near the cemetery with shotguns...
...the heavily ~ed courtroom.
VERB: V n, V-ed
2.
If you ~ someone, you watch them and keep them in a particular place to stop them from escaping.
Marines with rifles ~ed them...
He is being ~ed by a platoon of police.
VERB: V n, be V-ed by n
3.
A ~ is someone such as a soldier, police officer, or prison officer who is ~ing a particular place or person.
The prisoners overpowered their ~s and locked them in a cell.
N-COUNT
4.
A ~ is a specially organized group of people, such as soldiers or policemen, who protect or watch someone or something.
We have a security ~ around the whole area...
A heavily armed ~ of police have sealed off the city centre.
N-SING-COLL
5.
On a train, a ~ is a person whose job is to travel on the train in order to help passengers, check tickets, and make sure that the train travels safely and on time. (BRIT; in AM, use conductor )
N-COUNT
6.
If you ~ some information or advantage that you have, you try to protect it or keep it for yourself.
He closely ~ed her identity.
...a threat to the country’s jealously ~ed unity.
VERB: V n, V-ed
7.
A ~ is a protective device which covers a part of someone’s body or a dangerous part of a piece of equipment.
...the chin ~ of my helmet...
A blade ~ is fitted to protect the operator.
N-COUNT: usu with supp
8.
Some regiments in the British Army, or the soldiers in them, are referred to as Guards.
...the Grenadier Guards.
N-IN-NAMES
9.
see also ~ed , body~ , coast~ , life~ , old ~
10.
If someone catches you off ~, they surprise you by doing something you do not expect. If something catches you off ~, it surprises you by happening when you are not expecting it.
Charm the audience and catch them off ~...
The invitation had caught me off ~.
PHRASE: V inflects
11.
If you lower your ~, let your ~ down or drop your ~, you relax when you should be careful and alert, often with unpleasant consequences.
The ANC could not afford to lower its ~ until everything had been carried out...
You can’t let your ~ down...
PHRASE: V inflects
12.
If you mount ~ or if you mount a ~, you organize people to watch or protect a person or place.
They’ve even mounted ~ outside the main hotel in the capital...
PHRASE: V and N inflect
13.
If you are on your ~ or on ~, you are being very careful because you think a situation might become difficult or dangerous.
The police have questioned him thoroughly, and he’ll be on his ~...
He is constantly on ~ against any threat of humiliation.
PHRASE: usu v-link PHR
14.
If someone is on ~, they are on duty and responsible for ~ing a particular place or person.
Police were on ~ at Barnet town hall.
PHRASE: usu v-link PHR
15.
If you stand ~, you stand near a particular person or place because you are responsible for watching or protecting them.
One young policeman stood ~ outside the locked embassy gates.
PHRASE: V inflects
16.
If someone is under ~, they are being ~ed.
Three men were arrested and one was under ~ in hospital.
PHRASE: v-link PHR, PHR after v