coastguard

Universal Words noun 1 (usually the coastguard) [sing.] an official organization (in the US a branch of the armed forces) whose job is to watch the sea near a coast in order to help ships and people in trouble, and to stop people from breaking the law: The coastguard was alerted. * They radioed Dover Coastguard. * a coastguard station 2 [C] (especially BrE) (AmE usually coastguardman) a member of this organization