to assist (a person) to travel through, or reach a destination in, an unfamiliar area, as by accompanying or giving directions to the person: He guided us through the forest.
to accompany (a sightseer) to show points of interest and to explain their meaning or significance.
to force (a person, object, or animal) to move in a certain path.
to supply (a person) with advice or counsel, as in practical or spiritual affairs.
to supervise (someone's actions or affairs) in an advisory capacity.
noun
a person who guides, especially one hired to guide travelers, tourists, hunters, etc.
a mark, tab, or the like, to catch the eye and thus provide quick reference.
1. Guide,conduct,direct,lead imply showing the way or pointing out or determining the course to be taken. Guide implies continuous presence or agency in showing or indicating a course: to guide a traveler. To conduct is to precede or escort to a place, sometimes with a degree of ceremony: to conduct a guest to his room.To direct is to give information for guidance, or instructions or orders for a course of procedure: to direct someone to the station.To lead is to bring onward in a course, guiding by contact or by going in advance; hence, fig., to influence or induce to some course of conduct: to lead a procession; to lead astray.
late 14c., "to lead, direct, conduct," from Old French guider "to guide, lead, conduct" (14c.), earlier guier, from Frankish *witan "show the way" or a similar Germanic source, from Proto-Germanic *wit- "to know" (cf. German weisen "to show, point out," Old English witan "to see"), from PIE *weid- "to see" (see vision). The form of the French word influenced by Old Provençal guidar (n.) "guide, leader," or Italian guidare, both from the same source. Related: Guided; guiding.
n.
mid-14c., "one who shows the way," from Old French guide, 14c. (alteration of earlier guie), verbal noun from guider (see guide (v.)). In book titles from 1610s; meaning "book of information on local sites" is from 1759. In 18c. France, a "for Dummies" or "Idiot's Guide to" book would have been a guid' âne, literally "guide-ass."
