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

A security guard stands to the side of the pair.

From BBC ● Jul. 23, 2026

Forward Alyssa Thomas dominated with 19 points, 11 rebounds and 15 assists, while guard Kahleah Copper poured in 21 points to lead the Mercury precisely, as Sparks coach Lynne Roberts expected pregame.

From Los Angeles Times ● Jul. 22, 2026

Strict agency rules have long required an open bidding process whenever possible to guard against waste, fraud and abuse.

From Salon ● Jul. 21, 2026

The Chinese coast guard responded to the accusations in a statement, calling Manila's version of events a "complete distortion of the truth".

From Barron's ● Jul. 21, 2026

At last we were summoned to an inner office where our forms were examined, stamped, and handed over to a guard.

From "The Hiding Place" by Corrie ten Boom

McClendon, guards Kevin Dotson and Steve Avila and center Coleman Shelton are in the final year of their contracts.

From Los Angeles Times ● Jul. 23, 2026

Private security guards suppressed one protest, further sparking a succession of demonstrations.

From Barron's ● Jul. 23, 2026

At least 50 vessels in the region are broadcasting they have armed guards on board, according to data from MarineTraffic.

From BBC ● Jul. 22, 2026

He said he also provided a group of former veterans to be security guards for some of the bank’s branches.

From The Wall Street Journal ● Jul. 21, 2026

He waited for guards to take a dinner break, then crept forward and clipped the first wire, crawled across the death strip, clipped the bottom of the second fence, and wriggled back into East Berlin.

From "Fallout: Spies, Superbombs, and the Ultimate Cold War Showdown" by Steve Sheinkin

The U.S. is guarded on who is allowed to make its high-end weapons, for fear that the technology will end up in other’s hands.

From The Wall Street Journal ● Jul. 21, 2026

It arose either directly from species with no parental care or from species in which females already guarded the eggs.

From Science Daily ● Jul. 12, 2026

Details of the wedding had been a closely guarded secret, with guests assumed to be under instructions not to give away details or photos.

From BBC ● Jul. 5, 2026

In addition to the extra security guards milling about, many of the areas that were formerly open to the public were closed off by fences and guarded exits.

From Los Angeles Times ● Jun. 26, 2026

After the prisoners arrived at the Department of Justice, they entered in the basement and were taken into a specially reserved elevator, which stopped on the heavily guarded fifth floor.

From Nazi Saboteurs by Samantha Seiple

When she got home four hours later, the house was cordoned off with police tape, with officers guarding the door.

From BBC ● Jul. 19, 2026

You stand at the summit, afraid to take a single step down, guarding a bank balance you can’t make yourself touch.

From MarketWatch ● Jul. 16, 2026

From 1936 through 2025, published scientific studies documented parental guarding behavior in only 80 harvestman species.

From Science Daily ● Jul. 12, 2026

However, the Apogee deal is a logical way for the company to bolster its portfolio, guarding its reputation as a leader in immunology and doubling down on what has historically driven its success.

From Barron's ● Jun. 22, 2026

“I thought Gaea had an army guarding the Doors.”

From "The House of Hades" by Rick Riordan

Related Words

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