guard
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.
to take precautions (usually followed by against): to guard against errors.
to give protection; keep watch; be watchful.
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.
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
1synonym study For guard
Other words for guard
Opposites for guard
Other words from guard
- guard·a·ble, adjective
- guarder, noun
- guardless, adjective
- guardlike, adjective
- pre·guard, verb (used with object)
- self-guard, noun
- un·der·guard, noun
- un·guard·a·ble, adjective
Words Nearby guard
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 PostSo 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-ScienceMasks 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 PostThis 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.
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 | THE DAILY BEASTOne 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 | THE DAILY BEASTThe 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 | THE DAILY BEASTNews 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 | THE DAILY BEASTIn particular the Governor of Adinskoy offered us a guard of fifty men to the next station, if we apprehended any danger.
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-PattisonLeaving 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. DunnEvery 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. DunnNevertheless Monsieur de Biancourt was always on his guard, and often sent the boat on ahead with the sounding-lead.
British Dictionary definitions for guard
/ (ɡɑːd) /
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 control: to 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
a person or group who keeps a protecting, supervising, or restraining watch or control over people, such as prisoners, things, etc: Related adjective: custodial
a person or group of people, such as soldiers, who form a ceremonial escort: guard 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 protection: a 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)
Origin of guard
1Derived forms of guard
- guardable, adjective
- guarder, noun
- guardless, adjective
- guardlike, adjective
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
see off guard; stand guard.
The American Heritage® Idioms Dictionary Copyright © 2002, 2001, 1995 by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. Published by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company.
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