guard

American  

[gahrd] / gɑrd /

verb (used with object)

• guards,
  present (3rd person singular)
• guarded,
  past participle,  past
• guarding
  present participle

1. to keep safe from harm or danger; protect; watch over.

   to guard the ruler.

   Synonyms:

   save, preserve, safeguard, shelter, shield

   Antonyms:

   attack

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.

   Synonyms:

   watch, hold

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.

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verb (used without object)

• guards,
  present (3rd person singular)
• guarded,
  past participle,  past
• guarding
  present participle

1. to take precautions (usually followed byagainst ).

   to guard against errors.

2. to give protection; keep watch; be watchful.

noun

• guards
  plural

1. a person or group of persons that guards, protects, or keeps a protective or restraining watch.

   Synonyms:

   patrol, sentinel, sentry, guardsman, guardian, watchman, protector, defend

2. a person who keeps watch over prisoners or others under restraint.

3. a body of people, especially soldiers, charged with guarding a place from disturbance, theft, fire, etc.

4. a close watch, as over a prisoner or other person under restraint.

   to be kept under guard.

5. a device, appliance, or attachment that prevents injury, loss, etc.

6. something intended or serving to guard or protect; safeguard.

   insurance as a guard against disasters.

   Synonyms:

   security, aegis, protection, defense, shield, bulwark, safety

7. a posture of defense or readiness, as in fencing, boxing, or bayonet drill.

8. Football.

   1. either of the linemen stationed between a tackle and the center.

   2. the position played by this lineman.

9. Basketball. either of the players stationed in the backcourt.

10. Chess. a piece that supports or defends another.

11. 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.

12. British. a railroad conductor.

13. Guards, the name of certain bodies of troops in the British army.

idioms

1. on guard, vigilant; wary: Also on one's guard.

   on guard against dishonest merchants.

2. stand guard over, to watch over; protect.

   The dog stood guard over his wounded master.

3. off guard, unprepared; unwary: Also off one's guard.

   The blow from behind caught him off guard.

guard British  

/ 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. (tr) to control

   to guard one's tongue

4. to take precautions

5. to control entrance and exit through (a gate, door, etc)

6. (tr) to provide (machinery, etc) with a device to protect the operator

7. (tr)

   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. archaic (tr) to accompany as a guard

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noun

1. a person or group who keeps a protecting, supervising, or restraining watch or control over people, such as prisoners, things, etc

2. a person or group of people, such as soldiers, who form a ceremonial escort

   guard of honour

3. the official in charge of a train

4. 1. the act or duty of protecting, restraining, or supervising

   2. ( as modifier )

      guard duty

5. another word for garda

6. 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

7. anything that provides or is intended to provide protection

   a guard against infection

8. 1. another name for safety chain

   2. a long neck chain often holding a chatelaine

9. See guard ring

10. sport an article of light tough material worn to protect any of various parts of the body

11. basketball

    1. the position of the two players in a team who play furthest from the basket

    2. a player in this position

12. the posture of defence or readiness in fencing, boxing, cricket, etc

13. cricket (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

14. cricket (of an umpire) to indicate such a position to a batsman

15. having one's defences down; unprepared

16. prepared to face danger, difficulties, etc

17. (of a military sentry, etc) to keep watch

18. 1. (of a sentry) to begin to keep watch

    2. (with over) to take up a protective or defensive stance (over something)

guard More Idioms  

1. see off guard; stand guard.

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Synonym Usage

See defend.

Other Word Forms

Derived Forms

• guarder
  noun
• self-guard
  noun
• underguard
  noun
• preguard
  verb (used with object)
• guardable
  adjective
• guardless
  adjective
• guardlike
  adjective
• unguardable
  adjective

Inflected Forms

Nouns

• guards
  plural

Participles

• guarding
  present
• guarded
  past

Conjugated Forms

Present

• guard
  simple
• guards
  simple
• have guarded
  perfect
• has guarded
  perfect
• am guarding
  progressive
• are guarding
  progressive
• is guarding
  progressive
• have been guarding
  perfect progressive
• has been guarding
  perfect progressive

Past

• guarded
  simple
• had guarded
  perfect
• was guarding
  progressive
• were guarding
  progressive
• had been guarding
  perfect progressive

Future

• will guard
  simple
• will have guarded
  perfect
• will be guarding
  progressive
• will have been guarding
  perfect progressive

Etymology

Origin of guard

First recorded in 1375–1425; late Middle English garde “guardianship,” from Old French g(u)arde, noun derivative of g(u)arder (verb), from Germanic; cognate with Old English weard ( see ward)

Explanation

A person who protects something is called a guard. You might see a security guard at the mall, a crossing guard on the street outside a school, or a palace guard at Buckingham Palace. To guard something is to watch over it or keep it from danger. You should ask someone to guard your backpack when you go to the restroom at the restaurant — or take it with you. The verb guard also means to protect against unintended consequences. To guard against overeating at the party, you could have a light snack before you go, so you aren't as tempted by all the delicious snacks and desserts.

Example Sentences

See Examples For:

guard guards guarded guarding

The colour and honour guard marched up to the aircraft and stood on both sides of the red carpet as two limos pulled up.

From BBC ● Sep. 24, 2026

But at some point, to save credibility, they will need to address this breaking of rules that goes to the core of what the CIF is supposed to guard against.

From Los Angeles Times ● Sep. 24, 2026

Mr. Ueda on Friday tried to reset expectations with a commitment to stay on guard against inflation even if price rises slow below the 2% target owing to softer energy prices.

From The Wall Street Journal ● Sep. 18, 2026

Unlike 2018, when O’Rourke’s rise caught some off guard, the party has been preparing for Talarico since the spring.

From Salon ● Sep. 18, 2026

A guard was passing by; I begged him in German to show us the toilets.

From "The Hiding Place" by Corrie ten Boom

But on two occasions when guards summoned Kao over the intercom, he refused to enter the visitation room.

From Salon ● Sep. 23, 2026

The designation would come with honor guards, a 21-gun salute and a formal welcome on the White House South Lawn.

From The Wall Street Journal ● Sep. 23, 2026

Prison guards and support staff mainly transferred to the California Health Care Facility in Stockton, Rickman said.

From Los Angeles Times ● Sep. 13, 2026

Meanwhile, his mother, Queen Best Kemigisa, said royal guards had been withdrawn from the palace and soldiers deployed.

From BBC ● Sep. 12, 2026

There were guards too, but fewer, and they had to cover an area the size of a small city.

From "The Mona Lisa Vanishes" by Nicholas Day

Vague answers like “It was great” can sometimes feel guarded.

From MarketWatch ● Sep. 17, 2026

From the street, it looks like a two-story fortress under construction, guarded by a crash-damaged chain link fence and a row of yellow-orange Caltrans barricades.

From Los Angeles Times ● Sep. 2, 2026

Itauma is more like Joshua - guarded and keeping the media at arm's length.

From BBC ● Aug. 28, 2026

“We can’t show half our work,” says Farrell, who adds that a number of those projects are guarded by nondisclosure agreements.

From The Wall Street Journal ● Aug. 23, 2026

Another well beneath another root was the Well of Knowledge, guarded by Mimir the Wise.

From "Mythology: Timeless Tales of Gods and Heroes" by Edith Hamilton

He told them he wants a "single set of global principles and standards that are very much about unlocking the full potential whilst guarding against the risks".

From BBC ● Sep. 22, 2026

What Telluride had been guarding so carefully was “You Can See Everything,” a nearly three-hour documentary about convicted Theranos founder Elizabeth Holmes, co-directed by Fielder and documentary filmmaker Lance Oppenheim.

From Los Angeles Times ● Sep. 7, 2026

After repeatedly warning of the rivers’ endangerment, however, Mr. Winder concludes with only the briefest summary of the projects currently aimed at guarding against the dire outcomes he foresees.

From The Wall Street Journal ● Aug. 21, 2026

A two-hour drive west of Havana, in rural Consolacion del Sur, the picture is much the same for farmer Fidel Maqueira, who spends his nights guarding his oxen against theft.

From Barron's ● Aug. 4, 2026

“Oh, and our two other brothers are guarding this side of the Doors, so you’ll see them soon enough!”

From "The House of Hades" by Rick Riordan

Related Words

• cover
• defend
• escort
• keep
• look after
• observe
• oversee
• patrol
• preserve
• safeguard
• secure
• shield
• supervise