guard

[ gahrd ]

/ gɑrd /

Save This Word!

See synonyms for: guard / guarded / guarding / guards on Thesaurus.com

verb (used with object)

to keep safe from harm or danger; protect; watch over: to guard the ruler.

to keep under close watch in order to prevent escape, misconduct, etc.: to guard a prisoner.

to keep under control or restraint as a matter of caution or prudence: to guard one's temper.

to provide or equip with some safeguard or protective appliance, as to prevent loss, injury, etc.

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.

Chess. to protect (a piece or a square) by placing a piece in a supportive or defensive position relative to it.

verb (used without object)

to take precautions (usually followed by against): to guard against errors.

to give protection; keep watch; be watchful.

noun

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

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

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

a close watch, as over a prisoner or other person under restraint: to be kept under guard.

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

something intended or serving to guard or protect; safeguard: insurance as a guard against disasters.

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

Football.

either of the linemen stationed between a tackle and the center.
the position played by this lineman.

Basketball. either of the players stationed in the backcourt.

Chess. a piece that supports or defends another.

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.

British. a railroad conductor.

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

OTHER WORDS FOR guard

1 shield, shelter, safeguard; preserve, save.

3 hold, watch.

9 defender, protector; watchman, guardian; guardsman, sentry, sentinel, patrol.

14 defense, protection, aegis, security, safety; bulwark, shield.

See synonyms for guard on Thesaurus.com

OPPOSITES FOR guard

1 attack.

See antonyms for guard on Thesaurus.com

QUIZ

THINGAMABOB OR THINGUMMY: CAN YOU DISTINGUISH BETWEEN THE US AND UK TERMS IN THIS QUIZ?

Do you know the difference between everyday US and UK terminology? Test yourself with this quiz on words that differ across the Atlantic.

Question 1 of 7

In the UK, COTTON CANDY is more commonly known as…

candystring

candyfloss

candypuff

TAKE THE QUIZ TO FIND OUT

Idioms about guard

off guard, unprepared; unwary: The blow from behind caught him off guard.Also off one's guard.

on guard, vigilant; wary: on guard against dishonest merchants.Also on one's guard.

stand guard over, to watch over; protect: The dog stood guard over his wounded master.

Origin of guard

1375–1425; late Middle English garde guardianship <Old French g(u)arde, noun derivative of g(u)arder (v.) <Germanic; see ward

synonym study for guard

1. See defend.

OTHER WORDS FROM guard

guard·a·ble, adjectiveguarder, nounguardless, adjectiveguardlike, adjective

pre·guard, verb (used with object)self-guard, nounun·der·guard, nounun·guard·a·ble, adjective

Words nearby guard

guaranteed bond, guaranteed stock, guarantor, guaranty, Guarapuava, guard, Guardafui, guardant, guard band, guard cell, guard dog

Dictionary.com Unabridged Based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2023

How to use guard in a sentence

The guard is one of just two players who have played at least 20 of the team’s 22 outings as Washington dealt with the coronavirus outbreak and a mélange of other injuries already this season.
Bradley Beal will miss Friday’s game against the Knicks for rest|Ava Wallace|February 11, 2021|Washington Post
So it’s important for fans not to let down their guard as the Super Bowl approaches.
Even at half capacity, the Super Bowl could cause COVID-19 outbreaks|Kate Baggaley|February 5, 2021|Popular-Science
Masks and distancing are key to gathering safely, she said, noting that people often let their guard down while celebrating.
Super spreader Sunday? Experts worry Super Bowl could trigger coronavirus explosion|Brittany Shammas, Fenit Nirappil, Mark Maske|February 5, 2021|Washington Post
“This client ended up getting her $600, the second stimulus payment, a couple of days later, which kind of caught us off guard,” Gollihare said.
IRS mistakenly tells tens of thousands of taxpayers they won’t get their stimulus payments|Michelle Singletary|February 5, 2021|Washington Post

This feature has been hit or miss for some advertisers, even catching some off guard.
Google Ads Auto Applied Recommendations: Every setting, explained|Chris Boggs|February 4, 2021|Search Engine Land
A guard is manning the door, which is always kept ajar so she can be monitored.
Should Teens Have The Right To Die?|Brandy Zadrozny|January 8, 2015|DAILY BEAST
Three years ago, Republican Guard soldiers came into the hills and killed a cleric accused of hosting Jundullah fighters.
The Dangerous Drug-Funded Secret War Between Iran and Pakistan|Umar Farooq|December 29, 2014|DAILY BEAST
One of the honor guard approached with slow, measured steps and presented the flag to a uniformed captain.
Choking Back Tears, Thousands of Cops Honor Fallen Officer Ramos|Michael Daly|December 28, 2014|DAILY BEAST
The government continues to call for calm while warning people to be on their guard.
France’s Wave of Crazy-Terror Christmas Attacks|Christopher Dickey|December 24, 2014|DAILY BEAST
News of an opening with Havana has enraged the old guard of Miami that has longed to see the Castro family brought down.
Aging Cuban Exiles And Their Lawmakers Bypassed by White House|Romina Ruiz-Goiriena|December 17, 2014|DAILY BEAST
In particular the Governor of Adinskoy offered us a guard of fifty men to the next station, if we apprehended any danger.
The Life and Most Surprising Adventures of Robinson Crusoe, of York, Mariner (1801)|Daniel Defoe
On the evening of September 17th he sent away his advance guard of two thousand men in eighty small boats.
Napoleon's Marshals|R. P. Dunn-Pattison
Leaving Bruno to guard, Harry climbed the tree, and to his satisfaction had a good view of the country.
The Courier of the Ozarks|Byron A. Dunn
Every precaution was taken by Colonel Guitar to guard against a night attack, but his little army was allowed to rest in peace.
The Courier of the Ozarks|Byron A. Dunn
Nevertheless Monsieur de Biancourt was always on his guard, and often sent the boat on ahead with the sounding-lead.
The Jesuit Relations and Allied Documents, Vol. II: Acadia, 1612-1614|Various

British Dictionary definitions for guard

guard

/ (ɡɑːd) /

verb

to watch over or shield (a person or thing) from danger or harm; protect

to keep watch over (a prisoner or other potentially dangerous person or thing), as to prevent escape

(tr) to controlto guard one's tongue

(intr usually foll by against) to take precautions

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

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

(tr)

chess cards to protect or cover (a chess man or card) with another
curling bowls to protect or cover (a stone or bowl) by placing one's own stone or bowl between it and another player

(tr) archaic to accompany as a guard

noun

a person or group who keeps a protecting, supervising, or restraining watch or control over people, such as prisoners, things, etcRelated adjective: custodial

a person or group of people, such as soldiers, who form a ceremonial escortguard of honour

British the official in charge of a train

the act or duty of protecting, restraining, or supervising
(as modifier)guard duty

Irish another word for garda

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

anything that provides or is intended to provide protectiona guard against infection

another name for safety chain
a long neck chain often holding a chatelaine

See guard ring

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

basketball

the position of the two players in a team who play furthest from the basket
a player in this position

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

take guard 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

give guard cricket (of an umpire) to indicate such a position to a batsman

off one's guard having one's defences down; unprepared

on one's guard prepared to face danger, difficulties, etc

stand guard (of a military sentry, etc) to keep watch

mount guard

(of a sentry) to begin to keep watch
(with over) to take up a protective or defensive stance (over something)

Derived forms of guard

guardable, adjectiveguarder, nounguardless, adjectiveguardlike, adjective

Word Origin for guard

C15: from Old French garde, from garder to protect, of Germanic origin; compare Spanish guardar; see ward

Collins English Dictionary - Complete & Unabridged 2012 Digital Edition © William Collins Sons & Co. Ltd. 1979, 1986 © HarperCollins Publishers 1998, 2000, 2003, 2005, 2006, 2007, 2009, 2012

Other Idioms and Phrases with guard

guard

see off guard; stand guard.

guard

OTHER WORDS FOR guard

OPPOSITES FOR guard

Idioms about guard

Origin of guard

synonym study for guard

OTHER WORDS FROM guard

Words nearby guard

Words related to guard

How to use guard in a sentence

British Dictionary definitions for guard

Derived forms of guard

Word Origin for guard

Other Idioms and Phrases with guard