/ gɑːd; NAmE gɑːrd/ noun , verb
■ noun
PEOPLE WHO PROTECT
1.
[ C ] a person, such as a soldier, a police officer or a prison officer, who protects a place or people, or prevents prisoners from escaping :
a security guard
border guard s
The prisoner slipped past the guards on the gate and escaped.
A guard was posted outside the building.
—compare warder
—see also bodyguard , coastguard , lifeguard
2.
[ C +sing./pl. v . ] a group of people, such as soldiers or police officers, who protect sb/sth :
the captain of the guard
the changing of the guard (= when one group replaces another)
The guard is / are being inspected today.
Fellow airmen provided a guard of honour at his wedding.
The President always travels with an armed guard .
—see also National Guard , old guard , rearguard
3.
[ U ] the act or duty of protecting property, places or people from attack or danger; the act or duty of preventing prisoners from escaping :
a sentry on guard (= at his or her post, on duty)
to do guard duty
The escaped prisoner was brought back under armed guard .
The terrorist was kept under police guard .
One of the men kept guard , while the other broke into the house.
4.
the Guards [ pl. ] (in Britain and some other countries) special regiments of soldiers whose original duty was to protect the king or queen
AGAINST INJURY
5.
[ C ] (often in compounds) something that covers a part of a person's body or a dangerous part of a machine to prevent injury :
Ensure the guard is in place before operating the machine.
—see also fireguard , mouthguard , mudguard , safeguard , shin guard
ON TRAIN
6.
[ C ] ( BrE , becoming old-fashioned ) = conductor (2)
IN BOXING / FENCING
7.
[ U ] a position you take to defend yourself, especially in a sport such as boxing or fencing :
to drop / keep up your guard
( figurative )
In spite of the awkward questions the minister never let his guard fall for a moment.
IN BASKETBALL
8.
[ C ] one of the two players on a basketball team who are mainly responsible for staying close to opposing players to stop them from scoring
IN AMERICAN FOOTBALL
9.
[ C ] one of the two players on an American football team who play either side of the centre forward
•
IDIOMS
- be on your guard
- mount / stand / keep guard (over sb/sth)
- off (your) guard
■ verb [ vn ]
1.
to protect property, places or people from attack or danger :
The dog was guarding its owner's luggage.
political leaders guarded by the police
You can't get in; the whole place is guarded.
( figurative )
a closely guarded secret
2.
to prevent prisoners from escaping :
The prisoners were guarded by soldiers.
•
PHRASAL VERBS
- guard against sth
••
WORD ORIGIN
late Middle English (in the sense care, custody ): from Old French garde (noun), garder (verb), of West Germanic origin. Compare with ward .