[ward] n [ME, fr. OE weard; akin to OHG warta act of watching, OE warian to beware of, guard, waer careful--more at wary] (bef. 12c) 1 a: the action or process of guarding b: a body of guards
2: the state of being under guard; esp: custody 3 a: the inner court of a castle or fortress b: a division (as a cell or block) of a prison c: a division in a hospital; esp: a large room in a hospital where a number of patients often requiring similar treatment are accommodated
4. a: a division of a city for representative, electoral, or administrative purposes b: a division of some English and Scottish counties corresponding to a hundred c: the Mormon local congregation having auxiliary organizations (as Sunday schools and relief societies) and one or more quorums of each office of the Aaronic priesthood
5: a projecting ridge of metal in a lock casing or keyhole permitting only the insertion of a key with a corresponding notch; also: a corresponding notch in a bit of a key
6: a person or thing under guard, protection, or surveillance: as a: a minor subject to wardship b: a person who by reason of incapacity (as minority or lunacy) is under the protection of a court either directly or through a guardian appointed by the court--called also ward of court c: a person or body of persons under the protection or tutelage of a government 7: a means of defense: protection -- ward.ed adj
[2]ward vt [ME, fr. OE weardian; akin to OHG warten to watch, ON vartha to guard, OE weard ward] (bef. 12c) 1: to keep watch over: guard
2: to turn aside (something threatening): deflect--usu. used with off