guard

1 of 2

noun

ˈgärd 

1

: one assigned to protect or oversee another: such as

a

: a person or a body of persons on sentinel duty

Guards were posted around the camp.

b

guards plural : troops attached to the person of the sovereign

c

British : conductor sense b

2

a

: a defensive state or attitude

asked him out when his guard was down

b

: a defensive position (as in boxing)

3

a

: the act or duty of protecting or defending

b

: the state of being protected : protection

4

: a protective or safety device

specifically : a device for protecting a machine part or the operator of a machine

5

archaic : precaution

6

a

: a position or player next to the center in a football line

b

: a player stationed in the backcourt in basketball

guard

2 of 2

verb

guarded; guarding; guards

transitive verb

1

: to protect an edge of with an ornamental border

2

a

: to protect from danger especially by watchful attention : make secure

police guarding our cities

b

: to stand at the entrance of as if on guard or as a barrier

c

: to tend to carefully : preserve, protect

guarded their privacy

3

archaic : escort

4

a

: to watch over so as to prevent escape, disclosure, or indiscretion

guarded the prisoners.

b

: to attempt to prevent (an opponent) from playing effectively or scoring

intransitive verb

: to watch by way of caution or defense : stand guard

guard against mistakes

guarder noun

Phrases

off guard

: in an unprepared or unsuspecting state

Her angry response caught me off guard.

on guard

: defensively watchful : alert

is on guard against terrorists

Synonyms

Noun

• custodian
• guardian
• keeper
• lookout
• minder
• picket
• sentinel
• sentry
• warden
• warder
• watch
• watcher
• watchman

Verb

• bulwark
• cover
• defend
• fence
• fend
• forfend
• keep
• protect
• safeguard
• screen
• secure
• shield
• ward

Choose the Right Synonym for guard

defend, protect, shield, guard, safeguard mean to keep secure from danger or against attack.

defend denotes warding off actual or threatened attack.

defend the country

protect implies the use of something (such as a covering) as a bar to the admission or impact of what may attack or injure.

a hard hat to protect your head

shield suggests protective intervention in imminent danger or actual attack.

shielded her eyes from the sun with her hand

guard implies protecting with vigilance and force against expected danger.

White House entrances are well guarded

safeguard implies taking precautionary protective measures against merely possible danger.

our civil liberties must be safeguarded

Examples of guard in a Sentence

Noun

There were dozens of police officers standing guard along the parade route.

Tourists gather every day to watch the changing of the guard at Buckingham Palace.

The guard must be in place before operating the meat slicer.

Verb

Two policemen were assigned to guard the prisoner.

A tank guarded the bridge from enemy attack.

A police officer was stationed outside to guard the door.

They jealously guard their secrets.

Her whereabouts are a tightly guarded secret.

Recent Examples on the Web

Noun

Pacers All-Star guard Tyrese Haliburton finished with 12 points and eight assists, while shooting just 3 of 10 from the field and 2 of 7 from three-point range. —Anthony Chiang, Miami Herald, 7 Apr. 2024

Dust accumulation was also observed on fan guards in a glass refrigerator, according to the report. —Jacqueline Pinedo, Sacramento Bee, 3 Apr. 2024

Mayo, a 6-foot-4 guard from Lawrence, was South Dakota State basketball’s lone incoming freshman for the class of 2021. —Shreyas Laddha, Kansas City Star, 3 Apr. 2024

Paige Bueckers, Connecticut’s senior guard, ended it. —Thuc Nhi Nguyen, Los Angeles Times, 2 Apr. 2024

Last year, corrections department officials told The Times the policy was not specifically targeting facial hair but instead focusing on the need for guards to wear masks that could reduce transmission of COVID-19. —Keri Blakinger, Los Angeles Times, 26 Mar. 2024

In 2017, guards shot a man carrying a machete who tried to enter the museum. —Julia Binswanger, Smithsonian Magazine, 26 Mar. 2024

But guard might be his fastest way to get on the field. —Barry Jackson, Miami Herald, 25 Mar. 2024

And along with adding the two guards, Morgan upgraded the swing tackle position by signing former Green Bay Packers offensive lineman Yosh Nijman last week. —Mike Kaye, Charlotte Observer, 25 Mar. 2024

Verb

His subsequent sand wedge to within six feet of the flag was enough to clinch victory, McCarthy’s fightback suffering a watery end when his third shot plopped into the creek guarding the green. —Jack Bantock, CNN, 8 Apr. 2024

Volunteers have been flowing into Israel’s new front lines, in the north and the south, helping to tend agricultural fields and guard the perimeters. —William Booth, Washington Post, 6 Apr. 2024

These conversations caused friction with the military police guarding the cells, who began to see the linguists as sympathetic to the detainees. —Tamara Audi, New York Times, 4 Apr. 2024

Kings guard Malik Monk suffered a knee injury when Luka Doncic fell on top of him during Friday’s game against the Dallas Mavericks at Golden 1 Center in Sacramento. —Jason Anderson, Sacramento Bee, 30 Mar. 2024

Read the full Cancer Daily Horoscope Leo (July 23 - August 22) Open up the parts of you that are typically guarded. —USA TODAY, 29 Mar. 2024

After he was drafted in 2022, an injury to his right foot — sustained while guarding LeBron James in a summer league tournament — forced Holmgren to sit out his entire rookie season with the Thunder. —Natasha Dye, Peoplemag, 26 Mar. 2024

Who’s on the roster: Tackles Terron Armstead, Austin Jackson, Ryan Hayes and Kion Smith; guards Robert Jones, Liam Eichenberg, Isaiah Wynn, Jack Driscoll, Lester Cotton and Chasen Hines and center Aaron Brewer. —Barry Jackson, Miami Herald, 25 Mar. 2024

And the person guarding Lee, Aaronette Vonleh, came up with seven of her team’s 17 steals. —Blair Kerkhoff, Kansas City Star, 24 Mar. 2024

Word History

Etymology

Noun and Verb

Middle English garde, from Anglo-French garde, guarde, warde, from garder, guarder, warder, to guard, defend, of Germanic origin; akin to Old High German wartēn to watch, take care — more at ward

First Known Use

Noun

15th century, in the meaning defined at sense 1

Verb

1500, in the meaning defined at transitive sense 1

Phrases Containing guard

• coast guard
• color guard
• corporal's guard
• guard against
• guard dog
• guard hair
• let down one's guard
• have/keep one's guard up
• honor guard
• guard's van
• guard of honor
• old guard
• let one's guard down
• master chief petty officer of the coast guard
• on guard against
• point guard
• security guard
• on one's guard
• provost guard
• rear guard
• stand guard/watch
• the old guard
• under guard
• yeoman of the guard
• cattle guard
• crossing guard
• national guard
• shooting guard
• guard cell
• splash guard
• new guard
• on guard
• off guard

Kids Definition

guard

1 of 2 noun

ˈgärd 

1

: an attitude or state of defense

asked dad for money when his guard was down

2

: the act or duty of protecting or defending

3

a

: a person who guards or a group of persons who guard

b

plural : a body of troops whose duties include guarding a head of state

4

a

: a football player who lines up next to the center

b

: either of two players stationed usually away from the basket in basketball

5

: a protective or safety device (as on a machine)

guard

2 of 2 verb

1

: to protect from danger : defend

2

: to watch over so as to restrict, control, or check

guard a prisoner

a closely guarded secret

guard one's tongue

3

: to try to keep (an opponent) from scoring

4

: to be on guard : take precautions

guard against infection