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National Guard

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noun
state military forces, in part equipped, trained, and quartered by the U.S. government, and paid by the U.S. government, that become an active component of the army when called into federal service by the president in civil emergencies.Compare militia (def. 2).
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How to use National Guard in a sentence

British Dictionary definitions for National Guard

National Guard

noun
(sometimes not capitals) the armed force, first commanded by Lafayette, that was established in France in 1789 and existed intermittently until 1871
(in the US) a state military force that can be called into federal service by the president
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

Cultural definitions for National Guard

National Guard

The volunteer military forces of each state, which the governor of a state can summon in times of civil disorder or natural disaster. Through congressional and presidential order, the National Guard can be called into service in the regular United States army.

The New Dictionary of Cultural Literacy, Third Edition Copyright © 2005 by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. Published by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. All rights reserved.
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