guard
♦♦ guard /g'ɑːrd/ (guards guarding guarded)
1 [VERB] V n, V-ed
If you guard a place, person, or object, you stand near them in order to watch and protect them.
Gunmen guarded homes near the cemetery with shotguns...
...the heavily guarded courtroom.
2 [VERB] V n, be V-ed by n
If you guard someone, you watch them and keep them in a particular place to stop them from escaping.
Marines with rifles guarded them...
He is being guarded by a platoon of police.
3 [N-COUNT]
A guard is someone such as a soldier, police officer, or prison officer who is guarding a particular place or person.
The prisoners overpowered their guards and locked them in a cell.
4 [N-SING-COLL]
A guard is a specially organized group of people, such as soldiers or policemen, who protect or watch someone or something.
We have a security guard around the whole area...
A heavily armed guard of police have sealed off the city centre.
5 [N-COUNT]
On a train, a guard is a person whose job is to travel on the train in order to help passengers, check tickets, and make sure that the train travels safely and on time. (BRIT; in AM, use conductor)
6 [VERB] V n, V-ed
If you guard some information or advantage that you have, you try to protect it or keep it for yourself.
He closely guarded her identity.
...a threat to the country's jealously guarded unity.
7 [N-COUNT] usu with supp
A guard is a protective device which covers a part of someone's body or a dangerous part of a piece of equipment.
...the chin guard of my helmet...
A blade guard is fitted to protect the operator.
8 [N-IN-NAMES]
Some regiments in the British Army, or the soldiers in them, are referred to as Guards.
...the Grenadier Guards.
9
see also guarded, bodyguard, lifeguard, lifeguard, old guard
10 [PHRASE] V inflects
If someone catches you off guard, they surprise you by doing something you do not expect. If something catches you off guard, it surprises you by happening when you are not expecting it.
Charm the audience and catch them off guard...
The invitation had caught me off guard.
11 [PHRASE] V inflects
If you lower your guard, let your guard down or drop your guard, you relax when you should be careful and alert, often with unpleasant consequences.
The ANC could not afford to lower its guard until everything had been carried out...
You can't let your guard down...
12 [PHRASE] V and N inflect
If you mount guard or if you mount a guard, you organize people to watch or protect a person or place.
They've even mounted guard outside the main hotel in the capital...
13 [PHRASE] usu v-link PHR
If you are on your guard or on guard, you are being very careful because you think a situation might become difficult or dangerous.
The police have questioned him thoroughly, and he'll be on his guard...
He is constantly on guard against any threat of humiliation.
14 [PHRASE] usu v-link PHR
If someone is on guard, they are on duty and responsible for guarding a particular place or person.
Police were on guard at Barnet town hall.
15 [PHRASE] V inflects
If you stand guard, you stand near a particular person or place because you are responsible for watching or protecting them.
One young policeman stood guard outside the locked embassy gates.
16 [PHRASE] v-link PHR, PHR after v
If someone is under guard, they are being guarded.
Three men were arrested and one was under guard in hospital.cat|tle guard (cattle guards)
[N-COUNT]
A cattle guard is the same as a cattle grid. (AM)guard against
[PHRASAL VERB] V P n
If you guard against something, you are careful to prevent it from happening, or to avoid being affected by it.
The armed forces were on high alert to guard against any retaliation.guard dog (guard dogs)
[N-COUNT]
A guard dog is a fierce dog that has been specially trained to protect a particular place.guard of hon|our (guards of honour)
[N-COUNT]
A guard of honour is an official parade of troops, usually to celebrate or honour a special occasion, such as the visit of a head of state. (BRIT; in AM, use honor guard)guard's van (guard's vans)
[N-COUNT]
The guard's van of a train is a small carriage or part of a carriage in which the guard travels. (BRIT)hon|or guard
[N-SING]
An honor guard is a group of troops who formally greet or accompany someone special such as a visiting head of state. (AM; in BRIT, use guard of honour)old guard
[N-SING-COLL] usu the/poss N
If you refer to a group of people as the old guard, you mean that they have worked in a particular organization for a very long time and are unwilling to accept new ideas or practices.
The old guard did not like the changes that Brewer introduced...prae|to|rian guard /prɪt'ɔːriən g'ɑːrd/
[N-SING-COLL]
You can use praetorian guard to refer to a group of people who are close associates and loyal supporters of someone important. (FORMAL)se|cu|rity guard (security guards)
[N-COUNT]
A security guard is someone whose job is to protect a building or to collect and deliver large amounts of money.
1 [VERB] V n, V-ed
If you guard a place, person, or object, you stand near them in order to watch and protect them.
Gunmen guarded homes near the cemetery with shotguns...
...the heavily guarded courtroom.
2 [VERB] V n, be V-ed by n
If you guard someone, you watch them and keep them in a particular place to stop them from escaping.
Marines with rifles guarded them...
He is being guarded by a platoon of police.
3 [N-COUNT]
A guard is someone such as a soldier, police officer, or prison officer who is guarding a particular place or person.
The prisoners overpowered their guards and locked them in a cell.
4 [N-SING-COLL]
A guard is a specially organized group of people, such as soldiers or policemen, who protect or watch someone or something.
We have a security guard around the whole area...
A heavily armed guard of police have sealed off the city centre.
5 [N-COUNT]
On a train, a guard is a person whose job is to travel on the train in order to help passengers, check tickets, and make sure that the train travels safely and on time. (BRIT; in AM, use conductor)
6 [VERB] V n, V-ed
If you guard some information or advantage that you have, you try to protect it or keep it for yourself.
He closely guarded her identity.
...a threat to the country's jealously guarded unity.
7 [N-COUNT] usu with supp
A guard is a protective device which covers a part of someone's body or a dangerous part of a piece of equipment.
...the chin guard of my helmet...
A blade guard is fitted to protect the operator.
8 [N-IN-NAMES]
Some regiments in the British Army, or the soldiers in them, are referred to as Guards.
...the Grenadier Guards.
9
see also guarded, bodyguard, lifeguard, lifeguard, old guard
10 [PHRASE] V inflects
If someone catches you off guard, they surprise you by doing something you do not expect. If something catches you off guard, it surprises you by happening when you are not expecting it.
Charm the audience and catch them off guard...
The invitation had caught me off guard.
11 [PHRASE] V inflects
If you lower your guard, let your guard down or drop your guard, you relax when you should be careful and alert, often with unpleasant consequences.
The ANC could not afford to lower its guard until everything had been carried out...
You can't let your guard down...
12 [PHRASE] V and N inflect
If you mount guard or if you mount a guard, you organize people to watch or protect a person or place.
They've even mounted guard outside the main hotel in the capital...
13 [PHRASE] usu v-link PHR
If you are on your guard or on guard, you are being very careful because you think a situation might become difficult or dangerous.
The police have questioned him thoroughly, and he'll be on his guard...
He is constantly on guard against any threat of humiliation.
14 [PHRASE] usu v-link PHR
If someone is on guard, they are on duty and responsible for guarding a particular place or person.
Police were on guard at Barnet town hall.
15 [PHRASE] V inflects
If you stand guard, you stand near a particular person or place because you are responsible for watching or protecting them.
One young policeman stood guard outside the locked embassy gates.
16 [PHRASE] v-link PHR, PHR after v
If someone is under guard, they are being guarded.
Three men were arrested and one was under guard in hospital.cat|tle guard (cattle guards)
[N-COUNT]
A cattle guard is the same as a cattle grid. (AM)guard against
[PHRASAL VERB] V P n
If you guard against something, you are careful to prevent it from happening, or to avoid being affected by it.
The armed forces were on high alert to guard against any retaliation.guard dog (guard dogs)
[N-COUNT]
A guard dog is a fierce dog that has been specially trained to protect a particular place.guard of hon|our (guards of honour)
[N-COUNT]
A guard of honour is an official parade of troops, usually to celebrate or honour a special occasion, such as the visit of a head of state. (BRIT; in AM, use honor guard)guard's van (guard's vans)
[N-COUNT]
The guard's van of a train is a small carriage or part of a carriage in which the guard travels. (BRIT)hon|or guard
[N-SING]
An honor guard is a group of troops who formally greet or accompany someone special such as a visiting head of state. (AM; in BRIT, use guard of honour)old guard
[N-SING-COLL] usu the/poss N
If you refer to a group of people as the old guard, you mean that they have worked in a particular organization for a very long time and are unwilling to accept new ideas or practices.
The old guard did not like the changes that Brewer introduced...prae|to|rian guard /prɪt'ɔːriən g'ɑːrd/
[N-SING-COLL]
You can use praetorian guard to refer to a group of people who are close associates and loyal supporters of someone important. (FORMAL)se|cu|rity guard (security guards)
[N-COUNT]
A security guard is someone whose job is to protect a building or to collect and deliver large amounts of money.