# guard

Pronunciation: US say "GARD" /ɡɑɹd/; UK/AUS say "GAHD" /ɡɑːd/

## Noun

1. A person, or a group of people, whose job is to watch over and protect a place, person or thing, or to stop prisoners escaping.
   - Simple: A person or group whose job is to watch and protect a place or person, or keep prisoners in.
   - _A guard stood at the museum entrance throughout the night._
   - _Prison guards searched every cell after the escape attempt._
3. In basketball, a player, usually one of the shorter and quicker on the team, who plays farther from the basket than the forwards and center and often handles the ball.
   - Simple: In basketball, a player who usually handles the ball and plays farther from the basket.
   - _The team's guard set up the offense from beyond the arc._
   - _Two guards pressured the ball handler near midcourt._
4. A device or covering that protects against injury or damage, such as a cover over a machine's moving parts or a pad worn on the shins or in the mouth.
   - Simple: A cover or pad that keeps people or things from getting hurt or damaged, like a shin guard.
   - _The factory inspector checked that every guard was fitted correctly._
   - _A metal guard covers the gears so workers cannot reach them._
5. A state of caution or a defensive posture adopted to protect against attack.
   - Simple: Being careful and ready for danger, or a way of holding your body that protects you from attack.
   - _The fighter raised his guard before the next round began._
   - _She let her guard down and shared more than she meant to._
6. In American football, either of two offensive linemen positioned between the center and the tackles, who block to protect the quarterback and open running lanes.
   - Simple: In American football, an offensive player next to the center who blocks for teammates.
   - _The left guard pulled to lead the running back through the gap._
   - _A strong guard kept the pass rush away from the quarterback._
9. A member of a train's crew, other than the driver, who is responsible for the safe running of the train and its passengers; traditionally the guard rode at the rear.
   - Simple: A railway worker, not the driver, who travels on a train and helps keep it and its passengers safe.
   - _The guard signaled the driver that all passengers had boarded safely._
   - _Two guards were rostered for the overnight freight service._
10. The part of a sword positioned to protect the wielder's hand from the opponent's blade.
   - Simple: The part of a sword that keeps the user's hand safe.
   - _The blade snapped, but the ornate guard remained intact._
   - _He gripped the hilt just below the curved guard._
11. A ground-grappling position in which the fighter on their back uses their legs to control and limit the opponent.
   - Simple: A fighting position where one person lies on their back and uses their legs to control the other.
   - _He swept his opponent from the guard and took the top position._
   - _Strong competitors can threaten submissions directly from the guard._
12. A police officer, particularly a member of An Garda Síochána, the Irish police force. *(Ireland)*
   - Simple: A police officer, especially a member of the Irish police force.
   - _A guard pulled the driver over for speeding on the motorway._
   - _Two guards arrived at the scene within minutes of the call._
13. Any of various elite military units with a special status, often capitalized and plural, such as the Guards regiments of the British Army or the Guards formations of Russia and the Soviet Union.
   - Simple: A top unit of soldiers with special honor, like the Guards regiments of Britain or of Russia.
   - _Officers of the Imperial Guard lined the steps of the Winter Palace for the ceremony._
   - _After independence, several post-Soviet armies kept their Guards divisions and the battle honors that came with them._
14. On a car, the body panel shaped around a wheel arch, particularly at the front. *(Australia)*
   - Simple: The part of a car body that covers a wheel, especially a front wheel.
   - _A flying stone chipped the paint on the car's front guard._
   - _After the accident, the panel beater replaced the dented front guard on her ute._
15. In programming, a Boolean expression that must evaluate to true for a branch of execution to continue.
   - Simple: In computer programs, a true-or-false test that must be true before some code can run.
   - _The function returns early when the guard fails._
   - _Each branch is protected by a guard that tests the input._
16. In cricket, the position on the popping crease where a batter makes a mark to align the bat and stance with the wicket.
   - Simple: In cricket, the spot where a batter marks the ground to line up with the wicket.
   - _He took guard on middle stump before the first delivery._
   - _The batter checked her guard again after every over._
17. In aviation, the radio frequency reserved for emergency communications, typically 121.5 MHz for civilian use.
   - Simple: In flying, the radio channel kept free for emergency calls, usually 121.5 MHz.
   - _The crew broadcast a mayday on guard after the engine failed._
   - _Controllers asked the off-course aircraft to check in on guard._
18. A chain for securing a pocket watch, attaching it to the wearer's clothing to prevent loss.
   - Simple: A chain used to attach a pocket watch to clothing so it would not be lost.
   - _He tucked his watch into his pocket and let the guard dangle from the buttonhole._
   - _The pawnbroker valued the heavy gold guard more than the watch itself._

## Verb

2. To watch over someone or something in order to protect it from danger or attack, or to stop a person from escaping or causing trouble.
   - Simple: To watch over someone or something to keep it safe, or to stop someone from escaping.
   - _Two officers guard the entrance to the courthouse._
   - _The fortress was built to guard the harbor from invaders._
7. To stay cautious and watchful, keeping oneself in a position of defense or safety.
   - Simple: To stay careful and ready in order to keep yourself safe.
   - _Wise leaders guard against complacency even after a big win._
   - _A careful investor guards against sudden losses by spreading her money widely._
8. In basketball and other team sports, to shadow an opponent closely so they cannot score, pass, or get the ball.
   - Simple: In basketball and similar sports, to stay close to a player on the other team so they cannot score, pass, or catch.
   - _The coach assigned his quickest defender to guard the league's top scorer for the whole game._
   - _In the last minute, two players guarded the star forward so closely that she never got the ball._
19. To protect the edge of something, especially with an ornamental border; to trim or face it with strips, lace, and similar materials.
   - Simple: To cover or trim the edge of something, often with a decorative border.

## Other meanings

- (verb) To fasten by binding; to gird or secure something tightly with a band or cord.

## Origin

**Meanings 1, 3–6, 9–18** — Old French had the verb guarder, and from it came guarde ("a guardian, warden, keeper") in late Old French or early Middle French. Middle English took this as garde. Garda, a word from Irish, is a doublet.
**Meanings 2, 7–8, 19** — English borrowed the verb from either garder in early Middle French or guarder in late Old French, whose meanings included keeping, warding, guarding, saving, and preserving. The French forms trace back to Early Medieval Latin wardo, borrowed from Frankish *wardēn, which goes back to Proto-Germanic *wardāną ("to guard, protect"). The English verb has cognates in French garder and Old English weardian. The latter gave English its doublet ward.

Source: DictionaryAI, https://dictionaryai.com/define/guard (written from Wiktionary data, CC BY-SA 4.0: https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/4.0/).