- Main Entry:
- 1guard
- Pronunciation:
-
\ˈgärd\
- Function:
- noun
- Etymology:
- 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
- Date:
- 15th century
1: one assigned to protect or oversee another: as a: a person or a body of persons on sentinel duty bplural : troops attached to the person of the sovereign cBritish : conductor 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 : protection4: a protective or safety device; specifically : a device for protecting a machine part or the operator of a machine5archaic : precaution6 a: a position or player next to the center in a football line b: a player stationed in the backcourt in basketball
—
off guard : in an unprepared or unsuspecting state
—
on guard : defensively watchful : alert
