From The Collaborative International Dictionary of English v.0.48 [gcide]:
Guard \Guard\, n. [OF. guarde, F. garde; of German origin; cf.
OHG. wart, warto, one who watches, warta a watching, Goth.
wardja watchman. See {Guard}, v. t.]
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1. One who, or that which, guards from injury, danger,
exposure, or attack; defense; protection.
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His greatness was no guard to bar heaven's shaft.
--Shak.
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2. A man, or body of men, stationed to protect or control a
person or position; a watch; a sentinel.
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The guard which kept the door of the king's house.
--Kings xiv.
27.
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3. One who has charge of a mail coach or a railway train; a
conductor. [Eng.]
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4. Any fixture or attachment designed to protect or secure
against injury, soiling, or defacement, theft or loss; as:
(a) That part of a sword hilt which protects the hand.
(b) Ornamental lace or hem protecting the edge of a
garment.
(c) A chain or cord for fastening a watch to one's person
or dress.
(d) A fence or rail to prevent falling from the deck of a
vessel.
(e) An extension of the deck of a vessel beyond the hull;
esp., in side-wheel steam vessels, the framework of
strong timbers, which curves out on each side beyond
the paddle wheel, and protects it and the shaft
against collision.
(f) A plate of metal, beneath the stock, or the lock
frame, of a gun or pistol, having a loop, called a
bow, to protect the trigger.
(g) (Bookbinding) An interleaved strip at the back, as in
a scrap book, to guard against its breaking when
filled.
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5. A posture of defense in fencing, and in bayonet and saber
exercise.
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6. An expression or admission intended to secure against
objections or censure.
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They have expressed themselves with as few guards
and restrictions as I. --Atterbury.
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7. Watch; heed; care; attention; as, to keep guard.
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8. (Zool.) The fibrous sheath which covers the phragmacone of
the Belemnites.
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Note: Guard is often used adjectively or in combination; as,
guard boat or guardboat; guardroom or guard room; guard
duty.
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{Advanced guard}, {Coast guard}, etc. See under {Advanced},
{Coast}, etc.
{Grand guard} (Mil.), one of the posts of the second line
belonging to a system of advance posts of an army.
--Mahan.
{Guard boat}.
(a) A boat appointed to row the rounds among ships of war
in a harbor, to see that their officers keep a good
lookout.
(b) A boat used by harbor authorities to enforce the
observance of quarantine regulations.
{Guard cells} (Bot.), the bordering cells of stomates; they
are crescent-shaped and contain chlorophyll.
{Guard chamber}, a guardroom.
{Guard detail} (Mil.), men from a company regiment etc.,
detailed for guard duty.
{Guard duty} (Mil.), the duty of watching patrolling, etc.,
performed by a sentinel or sentinels.
{Guard lock} (Engin.), a tide lock at the mouth of a dock or
basin.
{Guard of honor} (Mil.), a guard appointed to receive or to
accompany eminent persons.
{Guard rail} (Railroads), a rail placed on the inside of a
main rail, on bridges, at switches, etc., as a safeguard
against derailment.
{Guard ship}, a war vessel appointed to superintend the
marine affairs in a harbor, and also, in the English
service, to receive seamen till they can be distributed
among their respective ships.
{Life guard} (Mil.), a body of select troops attending the
person of a prince or high officer.
{Off one's guard}, in a careless state; inattentive;
unsuspicious of danger.
{On guard}, serving in the capacity of a guard; doing duty as
a guard or sentinel; watching.
{On one's guard}, in a watchful state; alert; vigilant.
{To mount guard} (Mil.), to go on duty as a guard or
sentinel.
{To run the guard}, to pass the watch or sentinel without
leave.
Syn: Defense; shield; protection; safeguard; convoy; escort;
care; attention; watch; heed.
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From WordNet (r) 3.0 (2006) [wn]:
on guard
adj 1: vigilant; "on guard against con artists"; "must remain on
your guard in such a situation" [syn: {on guard}, {on
one's guard(p)}, {upon one's guard(p)}, {on your guard}]
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