guard Definition

guard
verb guarded, guarding

1. To protect someone or something from danger or attack.

Thesaurus: watch, protect, secure, defend, safeguard, supervise, tend, mind, oversee, patrol, police.
2. To watch over someone in order to prevent their escape.
3. To control or check.

Example: guard your tongue
4. To control passage through (eg a doorway).
tr & intr
5. curling.bowls.
To protect a stone or bowl by placing another in the line of a potential attack.

noun

1. A person or group whose job is to provide protection, eg from danger or attack, or to prevent escape.

Thesaurus: sentry, escort, protector, lookout, custodian, sentinel, patrol, watch; bulwark, shield, screen.
(Brit)
2. A person in charge of a railway train.
3. A state of readiness to give protection or prevent escape.

Example: keep guard
Thesaurus: precaution, vigilance, care, watchfulness, heed, wariness, attention.
4. boxing.cricket.
A defensive posture.
5. basketball.Amer football.
A defensive player or their position.
6. Anything that gives protection from or to something.

Example: fireguard
Example: shinguard
7. The act or duty of protecting.
8. A soldier in any of certain army regiments originally formed to protect the sovereign.

Form: Guard (often)

Idiom: mount guard

To go on sentry duty.

Idiom: mount guard over someone or something

To protect or defend them or it.

Idiom: off guard (off one's guard)

Not on the alert; unwary about what one says or does.
Example: caught you off guard

Idiom: on guard

On sentry duty.

On the alert; wary about what one says or does.
Example: be on your guard against thieves

Idiom: on one's guard

On the alert, cautious.

Idiom: stand guard

To act as a guard or sentry.

Etymology: 15c: from French garder to protect.

Phrasal Verb: guard against something

To take precautions to prevent it.