[wawr-der] 
| 1. | a person who guards something, as a doorkeeper or caretaker. |
| 2. | a soldier or other person set to guard an entrance. |
| 3. | Chiefly British. an official having charge of prisoners in a jail. |
[wawr-der] | a truncheon or staff of office or authority, used in giving signals. |
| ward·er 1 (wôr'dər) n.
[Middle English, from Anglo-Norman wardere, from Old North French warder, to guard; see warden.] war'der·ship' n. |
| ward·er 2 (wôr'dər) n. A baton formerly used by a ruler or commander as a symbol of authority and to signal orders. [Middle English, possibly from warden, to ward, from Old English weardian; see wer-3 in Indo-European roots.] |