to keep safe from harm or danger; protect; watch over: to guard the ruler.
2.
to keep under close watch in order to prevent escape, misconduct, etc.: to guard a prisoner.
3.
to keep under control or restraint as a matter of caution or prudence: to guard one's temper.
4.
to provide or equip with some safeguard or protective appliance, as to prevent loss, injury, etc.
5.
Sports. to position oneself so as to obstruct or impede the movement or progress of (an opponent on offense): The linebacker moved to his right to guard the end going out for a pass.
6.
Chess. to protect (a piece or a square) by placing a piece in a supportive or defensive position relative to it.
–verb (used without object)
7.
to take precautions (usually fol. by against): to guard against errors.
8.
to give protection; keep watch; be watchful.
–noun
9.
a person or group of persons that guards, protects, or keeps a protective or restraining watch.
10.
a person who keeps watch over prisoners or others under restraint.
11.
a body of people, esp. soldiers, charged with guarding a place from disturbance, theft, fire, etc.
12.
a close watch, as over a prisoner or other person under restraint: to be kept under guard.
13.
a device, appliance, or attachment that prevents injury, loss, etc.
14.
something intended or serving to guard or protect; safeguard: insurance as a guard against disasters.
15.
a posture of defense or readiness, as in fencing, boxing, or bayonet drill.
16.
Football.
a.
either of the linemen stationed between a tackle and the center.
b.
the position played by this lineman.
17.
Basketball. either of the players stationed in the backcourt.
18.
Chess. a piece that supports or defends another.
19.
Cards. a low card that is held with a high card of the same suit and that enables the holder to save the high card for a later trick.
20.
British. a railroad conductor.
21.
Guards, the name of certain bodies of troops in the British army.
—Idioms
22.
off guard, unprepared; unwary: The blow from behind caught him off guard. Also, off one's guard.
23.
on guard, vigilant; wary: on guard against dishonest merchants. Also, on one's guard.
24.
stand guard over, to watch over; protect: The dog stood guard over his wounded master.
[Origin: 1375–1425; late ME garde guardianship < OF g(u)arde, n. deriv. of g(u)arder (v.) < Gmc; see ward]
To protect from harm by or as if by watching over: guard a bank; guarding the President. See Synonyms at defend.
To watch over so as to prevent escape or violence: guarded the prisoner.
Sports To keep (an opposing player) from scoring or playing efficiently.
To maintain control over, as to prevent indiscretion: Guard what you say.
To supervise entry or exit through; keep watch at: guarded the door.
To furnish (a device or object) with a protective piece.
Archaic To escort.
v.
intr.
To take precautions: guard against infection.
To serve as a guard.
n.
One who protects, keeps watch, or acts as a sentinel.
One who supervises prisoners.
An honor guard.
Chiefly British A railway employee in charge of a train.
Football One of the two offensive linemen on either side of the center.
Basketball Either of the two players normally positioned in the backcourt who are responsible for bringing the ball to and initiating offensive plays from the frontcourt.
Sports A defensive position or stance, as in boxing or fencing.
The act or duty of guarding.
Protection; watch: a prisoner under close guard.
An attachment or a covering put on a machine to protect the operator or a part of the machine.
A device on a foil, sword, or knife that protects the hand.
A padded covering worn to protect a body part from injury: a shin guard.
A small chain or band attached to a watch or bracelet to prevent loss.
A ring worn to prevent a more valuable ring from sliding off the finger.
Something that gives protection; a safeguard: a guard against tooth decay.
A device or an attachment that prevents injury, damage, or loss, especially:
An attachment or a covering put on a machine to protect the operator or a part of the machine.
A device on a foil, sword, or knife that protects the hand.
A padded covering worn to protect a body part from injury: a shin guard.
A small chain or band attached to a watch or bracelet to prevent loss.
A ring worn to prevent a more valuable ring from sliding off the finger.
Electronics A signal that prevents accidental activation of a device or ambiguous interpretation of data.
[Middle English garden, from Old French garder, guarder, of Germanic origin; see wer-3 in Indo-European roots.]
1412, "one who keeps watch," from M.Fr. garde "guardian, warden, keeper," from garder "to guard," from O.Fr. guarder (corresponding to O.N.Fr. warder, see gu-), from Frank. *wardon, from P.Gmc. *wardo- (see ward (v.)). Abstract or collective sense of "a keeping, a custody" (as in bodyguard) is from 1426. Sword-play and boxing sense is from 1596. The verb is first recorded 1583, from the noun. Guarded "reserved and cautious in speech, behavior, etc." is from 1728. Guardian (c.1330) is from Anglo-Fr. gardein, from O.Fr. gardien, earlier guarden, from Frank. *warding-.
a person who keeps watch over something or someone
2.
the person who plays that position on a football team; "the left guard was injured on the play"
3.
a device designed to prevent injury or accidents
4.
a posture of defence in boxing or fencing; "keep your guard up"
5.
the person who plays the position of guard on a basketball team
6.
a military unit serving to protect some place or person
7.
a precautionary measure warding off impending danger or damage or injury etc.; "he put an ice pack on the injury as a precaution"; "an insurance policy is a good safeguard"; "we let our guard down" [syn: precaution]
8.
the duty of serving as a sentry; "he was on guard that night" [syn: guard duty]
9.
(American football) a position on the line of scrimmage; "guards must be good blockers"
10.
a position on a basketball team
verb
1.
to keep watch over; "there would be men guarding the horses"
2.
watch over or shield from danger or harm; protect; "guard my possessions while I'm away"
3.
protect against a challenge or attack; "Hold that position behind the trees!"; "Hold the bridge against the enemy's attacks" [syn: defend]
4.
take precautions in order to avoid some unwanted consequence; "guard against becoming too friendly with the staff"; "guard against infection"
guardprogramming 1. In functional programming, a Boolean expression attached to a function definition specifying when (for what arguments) that definition is appropriate. 2. In (parallel) logic programming, a Boolean expression which is used to select a clause from several alternative matching clauses. See Guarded Horn Clauses. 3. In parallel languages, a Boolean expression which specifies when an message may be sent or received. (1995-05-09)
Guard\, v. t. [imp. & p. p. Guarded; p. pr. &, vb. n. Gurding.] [OF. guarder, garder, warder, F. garder, fr. OHG. wart?n to be on the watch, await, G. marten. See Ward, v. & n., and cf. Guard, n.]1. To protect from danger; to secure against surprise, attack, or injury; to keep in safety; to defend; to shelter; to shield from surprise or attack; to protect by attendance; to accompany for protection; to care for. For Heaven still guards the right. --Shak. 2. To keep watch over, in order to prevent escape or restrain from acts of violence, or the like. 3. To protect the edge of, esp. with an ornamental border; hence, to face or ornament with lists, laces, etc. The body of your discourse it sometime guarded with fragments, and the guards are but slightly basted on neither. --Shak. 4. To fasten by binding; to gird. [Obs.] --B. Jonson. Syn: To defend, protect, shield; keep; watch.
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