Old Guard

American  

noun

1. the imperial guard created in 1804 by Napoleon: it made the last French charge at Waterloo.

2. (in the U.S.) the conservative element of any political party, especially the Republican Party.

3. (usually lowercase) the influential, established, more conservative members of any body, group, movement, etc..

   the old guard of New York society.

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old guard ¹ British  

noun

1. a group that works for a long-established or old-fashioned cause or principle

2. the conservative element in a political party or other group

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Old Guard ² British  

noun

1. the French imperial guard created by Napoleon in 1804

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Etymology

Origin of Old Guard

Translation of French Vieille Garde

Example Sentences

"I definitely feel part of new wave of Manchester, but that's been taken under the wing of the old guard, for sure."

From BBC

The premiere was also a chance for Disney‘s old guard to mingle with the next generation of stars, where cast members from “Camp Rock 3,” many of whom weren’t born when “Hannah Montana” premiered, sang along to songs from the early Disney hits.

From Los Angeles Times

By 1904, the congregation’s old guard had dismissed his preference for sermons presented in English rather than Yiddish, which many of their immigrant family members still preferred.

From The Wall Street Journal

Looking back, Mr. Purvis realizes that the old guard made a comeback right under his nose.

From The Wall Street Journal

I think the old guard, like Louis CK and Seinfeld, these guys are all very against the internet.

From Los Angeles Times