corporal's guard
Americannoun
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Military. any small detachment.
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any small group, as of followers.
Etymology
Origin of corporal's guard
An Americanism dating back to 1835–45
Example Sentences
Examples are provided to illustrate real-world usage of words in context. Any opinions expressed do not reflect the views of Dictionary.com.
Minutes later a corporal's guard of teachers came toward Orgeron: Miss Johnson backed off to lead most of her children toward the building.
From Time Magazine Archive
As the OAS troops marched in to guard the building, Imbert's soldiers reluctantly got into trucks and withdrew, leaving behind only a corporal's guard of 25 men.
From Time Magazine Archive
Little more than a corporal's guard will be kept on after September�enough to do the paper work for an inactive reserve.
From Time Magazine Archive
When Congress denied further funds for 'Quoddy. thousands of men were laid off until only a corporal's guard was left.
From Time Magazine Archive
I myself counted one hundred and thirty graves, or rather holes, loosely covered over with earth, close together, many of them large enough to hold a corporal’s guard.
From "The Astonishing Life of Octavian Nothing, Traitor to the Nation, Volume II: The Kingdom on the Waves" by M.T. Anderson
Definitions and idiom definitions from Dictionary.com Unabridged, based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2023
Idioms from The American Heritage® Idioms Dictionary copyright © 2002, 2001, 1995 by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. Published by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company.
