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guard

A person who protects something is called a guard. You might see a security guard at the mall, a crossing guard on the street outside a school, or a palace guard at Buckingham Palace.

To guard something is to watch over it or keep it from danger. You should ask someone to guard your backpack when you go to the restroom at the restaurant — or take it with you. The verb guard also means to protect against unintended consequences. To guard against overeating at the party, you could have a light snack before you go, so you aren't as tempted by all the delicious snacks and desserts.

PRIMARY MEANINGS OF: guard

1
 vn
watch over or shield from danger or harm; protect
a person who keeps watch over something or someone
2
 vn
take precautions in order to avoid some unwanted consequence
a precautionary measure warding off impending danger or damage or injury etc.
3
 n
(American football) a position on the line of scrimmage
FULL DEFINITIONS OF: guard
1

v watch over or shield from danger or harm; protect

“guard my possessions while I'm away”
Synonyms:
ward
Types:
shepherd
watch over like a shepherd, as a teacher of her pupils
Type of:
protect
shield from danger, injury, destruction, or damage

v to keep watch over

“there would be men guarding the horses”
Types:
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patrol, police
maintain the security of by carrying out a patrol
keep guard, stand guard, stand sentinel, stand watch
watch over so as to protect
baby-sit, sit
work or act as a baby-sitter
baby-sit
take watchful responsibility for
Type of:
follow, keep an eye on, observe, watch, watch over
follow with the eyes or the mind

v protect against a challenge or attack

Synonyms:
defend, hold
hold
take and maintain control over, often by violent means
Type of:
protect
shield from danger, injury, destruction, or damage

n a person who keeps watch over something or someone

Types:
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bouncer, chucker-out
a person whose duty is to throw troublemakers out of a bar or public meeting
door guard, doorkeeper, doorman, gatekeeper, hall porter, ostiary, porter
someone who guards an entrance
halberdier
a guard who carries a halberd (as a symbol of his duty)
screener
a guard at an airport who checks passengers or their luggage at a security checkpoint
security guard, watcher, watchman
a guard who keeps watch
bank guard
a security guard at a bank
commissionaire
a uniformed doorman
fire watcher
(during World War II in Britain) someone whose duty was to watch for fires caused by bombs dropped from the air
lookout, lookout man, picket, scout, sentinel, sentry, spotter, watch
a person employed to keep watch for some anticipated event
night porter
a porter on duty during the night
night watchman
a watchman who works during the night
patroller
someone on patrol duty; an individual or a member of a group that patrols an area
port watcher, portwatcher
a watchman on a wharf
ticket collector, ticket taker
someone who is paid to admit only those who have purchased tickets
Type of:
defender, guardian, protector, shielder
a person who cares for persons or property

n a military unit serving to protect some place or person

Types:
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bodyguard
a group of men who escort and protect some important person
home guard
a volunteer unit formed to defend the homeland while the regular army is fighting elsewhere
territorial, territorial reserve
a territorial military unit
yeomanry
a British volunteer cavalry force organized in 1761 for home defense later incorporated into the Territorial Army
National Guard, home reserve
United States military reserves recruited by the states and equipped by the federal government; subject to call by either
Territorial Army
British unit of nonprofessional soldiers organized for the defense of Great Britain
Praetorian Guard
the elite bodyguard of a Roman Emperor in ancient Rome
Type of:
force, military force, military group, military unit
a unit that is part of some military service

n the duty of serving as a sentry

“he was on guard that night”
Synonyms:
guard duty, sentry duty, sentry go
Type of:
assignment, duty assignment
a duty that you are assigned to perform (especially in the armed forces)
2

v take precautions in order to avoid some unwanted consequence

“guard against becoming too friendly with the staff”
“guard against infection”
Type of:
act, move
perform an action, or work out or perform (an action)

n a precautionary measure warding off impending danger or damage or injury etc.

“we let our guard down”
Synonyms:
precaution, safeguard
Types:
backstop
a precaution in case of an emergency
security, security measures
measures taken as a precaution against theft or espionage or sabotage etc.
Type of:
measure, step
any maneuver made as part of progress toward a goal

n a device designed to prevent injury or accidents

Synonyms:
safety, safety device
Types:
fender
a low metal guard to confine falling coals to a hearth
safety catch, safety lock
guard consisting of a locking device that prevents a weapon from being fired
Type of:
device
an instrumentality invented for a particular purpose
3

n (American football) a position on the line of scrimmage

“guards must be good blockers”
Type of:
lineman
(American football) the position of a player on a football team who is stationed on the line of scrimmage

n the person who plays that position on a football team

“the left guard was injured on the play”
Type of:
lineman
one of the players on the line of scrimmage

n a position on a basketball team

Type of:
position
(in team sports) the role assigned to an individual player

n the person who plays the position of guard on a basketball team

Examples:
Oscar Palmer Robertson
United States basketball guard (born in 1938)
Type of:
basketball player, basketeer, cager
an athlete who plays basketball

n a posture of defence in boxing or fencing

“keep your guard up”
Type of:
attitude, position, posture
the arrangement of the body and its limbs
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