# guarded

Pronunciation: US say "GAR-did" /ˈɡɑɹdɪd/; UK say "GAH-did" /ˈɡɑːdɪd/

## Adjective

1. Cautious and restrained in what one says or reveals.
   - Simple: Careful about what you say or show, so you do not give too much away.
   - _Her guarded tone suggested she didn't trust the new manager._
   - _He remained guarded throughout the interview, offering little detail._
3. Watched over and kept under supervision.
   - Simple: Kept safe and watched closely by someone.
   - _Visitors could enter the heavily guarded compound only with permission._
   - _The witness stayed in a guarded location until the trial ended._
4. Of a patient's condition or outlook: uncertain but with a fair chance of recovery, requiring close monitoring because deterioration remains a real possibility.
   - Simple: Describing a patient whose chances are fair but who needs close watching because things could still get worse.
   - _The surgeon described the patient's prognosis as guarded and ordered hourly checks._
   - _Her condition remained guarded overnight, so the team stayed close._
5. Equipped with a protective fitting, such as a crossguard on a sword, a faceguard on a helmet, or a hatguard on a hat.
   - Simple: Having an added part that protects, like the guard on a sword or helmet.
   - _The collector prized a guarded rapier whose crossguard was inlaid with silver._
   - _A guarded helm protected the soldier's face during the charge._

## Verb

2. Simple past and past participle of guard. — simple past and past participle of guard
   - Simple: Past tense and past participle of guard. Use this form for something that already happened.
   - _Police guarded the courthouse entrance during the trial._
   - _She guarded the family secret for decades._

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