sentry

American  

[sen-tree] / ˈsɛn tri /

noun

plural

sentries

1. a soldier stationed at a place to stand guard and prevent the passage of unauthorized persons, watch for fires, etc., especially a sentinel stationed at a pass, gate, opening in a defense work, or the like.

2. a member of a guard or watch.

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sentry British  

/ ˈsɛntrɪ /

noun

1. a soldier who guards or prevents unauthorized access to a place, keeps watch for danger, etc

2. the watch kept by a sentry

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Etymology

Origin of sentry

1605–15; short for sentrinel, variant of sentinel

Example Sentences

We set skeletons on either side of the mirror to stand sentry.

From Literature

An outpost for 30 soldiers with a couple of sentry points and barracks will burn through about 13 gallons of fuel a day.

From The Wall Street Journal

Barcelona stretched out in every direction, a mosaic of old stone, glass and spire, Gaudí’s Sagrada Familia standing like an undone sentry among the rest.

From Salon

Immune cells act like vigilant sentries, moving through tissues and detecting remaining cancer cells that could lead to relapse.

From Science Daily

The sentry box had been in Ludgate Hill since the 1990s and was relocated to Guildhall Yard once the artist had confirmed it was his work.

From BBC

Related Words

• sentinel