stand guard

Idioms  

1. Watch over, act as a lookout, as in We'll climb the tree and get the apples if Josh will stand guard, or There's a parking space; stand guard while I make a U-turn and get to it. This term alludes to the military defense of posting guards to watch for the enemy.

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Example Sentences

Wolves have been observed swatting the birds away, even appearing to designate a pack member to stand guard.

From Barron's • Mar. 12, 2026

Three giant horse chestnut trees, each over 80 feet tall, stand guard in front of my house.

From The Wall Street Journal • Feb. 4, 2026

Swedish foreign minister, Maria Malmer Stenergard told The Guardian that Sweden “will always stand guard over international law.”

From Salon • Dec. 22, 2025

Incoherent hieroglyphs plate the walls, plastic pharaohs stand guard in the check-in lane, and taxis idle under the haunches of a gargantuan Sphinx.

From Slate • Nov. 18, 2025

The town of Kingston is straight ahead, and thickets of evergreen trees stand guard in every direction.

From "I Can Make This Promise" by Christine Day

Related Words

• assure
• care for
• conserve
• cover
• cushion
• defend
• insulate
• keep
• look after
• preserve
• safeguard
• save
• secure
• shelter
• shield
• support