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

That leaves right guard Cole Strange, a fifth-year veteran, likely starting alongside four rookies: left tackle Logan Taylor, left guard Jake Slaughter, center Jacob Spomer and right tackle Travis Burke.

From Los Angeles Times ● Oct. 10, 2026

The Lakers signed the 27-year-old guard for extra scoring punch and have missed him as a third ballhandling option to supplement Doncic and Austin Reaves.

From Los Angeles Times ● Oct. 10, 2026

Over the past year and a half, the Philippines has spotted several Chinese coast guard and research vessels operating near the islands, where there are key undersea cables.

From The Wall Street Journal ● Oct. 9, 2026

Despite chronic electricity shortages across North Korea, areas around electric fences along the border with China are brightly lit so that guard posts can easily spot potential defectors.

From The Wall Street Journal ● Oct. 8, 2026

The guard was already at the next cell.

From "The Hiding Place" by Corrie ten Boom

When they visited him, they found him under a tangle of tubes, with guards stationed outside his hospital room.

From Los Angeles Times ● Oct. 10, 2026

At his most recent custody hearing in Kyiv, surrounded by heavily armed guards, Zhykovych spoke publicly for the first time since his arrest.

From BBC ● Oct. 8, 2026

They are nonmedical prison guards, and they are doing it from a separate room.

From Slate ● Oct. 6, 2026

At length, Colin unlocked the outside door to the portico and the security guards exited the building.

From The Wall Street Journal ● Oct. 2, 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

Mr. Eastham has captured an authoritative voice, but there is something rather guarded about the consciousness behind it.

From The Wall Street Journal ● Oct. 9, 2026

Whether intentionally guarded or simply transmitted within tight social networks, the techniques were not widely shared.

From Science Daily ● Oct. 6, 2026

Williams, Thybulle, second-year forward Adou Thiero and guard Quentin Grimes were among the players who guarded the ball full court.

From Los Angeles Times ● Oct. 6, 2026

Iranian ships were guarded when they were contacted by radio.

From The Wall Street Journal ● Oct. 1, 2026

In the summer of 1949, the only American agents capable of uncovering the USSR's true motives were hunkered down in a closely guarded office in Arlington Hall.

From "Spies: The Secret Showdown Between America and Russia" by Marc Favreau

The secure facility is largely hidden from public view, with Marines guarding the perimeter and airspace above restricted.

From BBC ● Oct. 8, 2026

Free trains are being laid on to the capital for the occasion, with some 750 police guarding the centre of Sofia during the handover ceremony.

From Barron's ● Oct. 2, 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

They stood like dangerous prisoners on trial, Katherine and Chip guarding them from the side.

From "Found" by Margaret Peterson Haddix

Related Words

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