guard

Universal Words noun, verb noun people who protect 1 [C] a person, such as a soldier, a police officer or a prison officer, who protects a place or people, or prevents prisoners from escaping: a security guard * border guards * The prisoner slipped past the guards on the gate and escaped. * A guard was posted outside the building. compareWARDER seealsoBODYGUARD, COASTGUARD, LIFEGUARD 2 [C+sing./pl.v.] a group of people, such as soldiers or police officers, who protect sb/sth: the captain of the guard * the changing of the guard (= when one group replaces another) * The guard is / are being inspected today. * Fellow airmen provided a guard of honour at his wedding. * The President always travels with an armed guard. seealsoNATIONALGUARD, OLDGUARD, REARGUARD 3 [U] the act or duty of protecting property, places or people from attack or danger; the act or duty of preventing prisoners from escaping: a sentry on guard (= at his or her post, on duty) * to do guard duty * The escaped prisoner was brought back under armed guard. * The terrorist was kept under police guard. * One of the men kept guard, while the other broke into the house. soldiers 4 (the Guards) [pl.] (in Britain and some other countries) special REGIMENTS of soldiers whose original duty was to protect the king or queen: the Scots Guards * a Guards officer against injury 5 [C] (often in compounds) something that covers a part of a person's body or a dangerous part of a machine to prevent injury: a mouth guard * Ensure the guard is in place before operating the machine. seealsoFIREGUARD, MUDGUARD, SAFEGUARD, SHINGUARD on train 6 [C] (BrE, becoming old-fashioned) = CONDUCTOR(2) in boxing / fencing 7 [U] a position you take to defend yourself, especially in a sport such as boxing or FENCING: to drop / keep up your guard * (figurative) In spite of the awkward questions the minister never let his guard fall for a moment. IDIOMS be on your guard to be very careful and prepared for sth difficult or dangerous mount / stand / keep guard (over sb/sth) to watch or protect sb/sth: Four soldiers stood guard over the coffin. off (your) guard not careful or prepared for sth difficult or dangerous: The lawyer's apparently innocent question was designed to catch the witness off (his) guard. verb [VN] 1 to protect property, places or people from attack or danger: The dog was guarding its owner's luggage. * political leaders guarded by the police * You can't get in; the whole place is guarded. * (figurative) a closely guarded secret 2 to prevent prisoners from escaping: The prisoners were guarded by soldiers. PHRASALVERBS guard against sth to take care to prevent sth or to protect yourself from sth: to guard against accidents / error / loss / disease