GUARD

Pronunciation (US):

(GB):

IPA (US):

 Dictionary entry overview: What does guard mean? 

• GUARD (noun)
  The noun GUARD has 10 senses:

1. a person who keeps watch over something or someone

2. the person who plays that position on a football team

3. a device designed to prevent injury or accidents

4. a posture of defence in boxing or fencing

5. the person who plays the position of guard on a basketball team

6. a military unit serving to protect some place or person

7. a precautionary measure warding off impending danger or damage or injury etc.

8. the duty of serving as a sentry

9. (American football) a position on the line of scrimmage

10. a position on a basketball team

  Familiarity information: GUARD used as a noun is familiar.

• GUARD (verb)
  The verb GUARD has 4 senses:

1. to keep watch over

2. watch over or shield from danger or harm; protect

3. protect against a challenge or attack

4. take precautions in order to avoid some unwanted consequence

  Familiarity information: GUARD used as a verb is uncommon.

 Dictionary entry details 

• GUARD (noun)

Sense 1

Meaning:

A person who keeps watch over something or someone

Classified under:

Nouns denoting people

Hypernyms ("guard" is a kind of...):

defender; guardian; protector; shielder (a person who cares for persons or property)

Hyponyms (each of the following is a kind of "guard"):

door guard; doorkeeper; doorman; gatekeeper; hall porter; ostiary; porter (someone who guards an entrance)

security guard; watcher; watchman (a guard who keeps watch)

screener (a guard at an airport who checks passengers or their luggage at a security checkpoint)

halberdier (a guard who carries a halberd (as a symbol of his duty))

bouncer; chucker-out (a person whose duty is to throw troublemakers out of a bar or public meeting)

Derivation:

guard (to keep watch over)

Sense 2

Meaning:

The person who plays that position on a football team

Classified under:

Nouns denoting people

Context example:

the left guard was injured on the play

Hypernyms ("guard" is a kind of...):

lineman (one of the players on the line of scrimmage)

Sense 3

Meaning:

A device designed to prevent injury or accidents

Classified under:

Nouns denoting man-made objects

Synonyms:

guard; safety; safety device

Hypernyms ("guard" is a kind of...):

device (an instrumentality invented for a particular purpose)

Hyponyms (each of the following is a kind of "guard"):

fender (a low metal guard to confine falling coals to a hearth)

safety catch; safety lock (guard consisting of a locking device that prevents a weapon from being fired)

Sense 4

Meaning:

A posture of defence in boxing or fencing

Classified under:

Nouns denoting attributes of people and objects

Context example:

keep your guard up

Hypernyms ("guard" is a kind of...):

attitude; position; posture (the arrangement of the body and its limbs)

Sense 5

Meaning:

The person who plays the position of guard on a basketball team

Classified under:

Nouns denoting people

Hypernyms ("guard" is a kind of...):

basketball player; basketeer; cager (an athlete who plays basketball)

Instance hyponyms:

Oscar Palmer Robertson; Oscar Robertson; Robertson (United States basketball guard (born in 1938))

Sense 6

Meaning:

A military unit serving to protect some place or person

Classified under:

Nouns denoting groupings of people or objects

Hypernyms ("guard" is a kind of...):

force; military force; military group; military unit (a unit that is part of some military service)

Meronyms (members of "guard"):

bodyguard; escort (someone who escorts and protects a prominent person)

Hyponyms (each of the following is a kind of "guard"):

bodyguard (a group of men who escort and protect some important person)

home guard (a volunteer unit formed to defend the homeland while the regular army is fighting elsewhere)

territorial; territorial reserve (a territorial military unit)

Derivation:

guard (watch over or shield from danger or harm; protect)

Sense 7

Meaning:

A precautionary measure warding off impending danger or damage or injury etc.

Classified under:

Nouns denoting acts or actions

Synonyms:

guard; precaution; safeguard

Context example:

we let our guard down

Hypernyms ("guard" is a kind of...):

measure; step (any maneuver made as part of progress toward a goal)

Hyponyms (each of the following is a kind of "guard"):

backstop (a precaution in case of an emergency)

security; security measures (measures taken as a precaution against theft or espionage or sabotage etc.)

Sense 8

Meaning:

The duty of serving as a sentry

Classified under:

Nouns denoting acts or actions

Synonyms:

guard; guard duty; sentry duty; sentry go

Context example:

he was on guard that night

Hypernyms ("guard" is a kind of...):

assignment; duty assignment (a duty that you are assigned to perform (especially in the armed forces))

Derivation:

guard (to keep watch over)

Sense 9

Meaning:

(American football) a position on the line of scrimmage

Classified under:

Nouns denoting acts or actions

Context example:

guards must be good blockers

Hypernyms ("guard" is a kind of...):

lineman ((American football) the position of a player on a football team who is stationed on the line of scrimmage)

Holonyms ("guard" is a member of...):

eleven; football team (a team that plays football)

Sense 10

Meaning:

A position on a basketball team

Classified under:

Nouns denoting acts or actions

Hypernyms ("guard" is a kind of...):

position ((in team sports) the role assigned to an individual player)

Holonyms ("guard" is a member of...):

basketball team; five (a team that plays basketball)

• GUARD (verb)

Present simple: I / you / we / they guard    ... he / she / it guards   
Past simple: guarded   
Past participle: guarded   
-ing form: guarding   

Sense 1

Meaning:

To keep watch over

Classified under:

Verbs of political and social activities and events

Context example:

there would be men guarding the horses

Hypernyms (to "guard" is one way to...):

follow; keep an eye on; observe; watch; watch over (follow with the eyes or the mind)

Troponyms (each of the following is one way to "guard"):

patrol; police (maintain the security of by carrying out a patrol)

keep guard; stand guard; stand sentinel; stand watch (watch over so as to protect)

baby-sit; babysit; sit (work or act as a baby-sitter)

baby-sit; babysit (take watchful responsibility for)

Sentence frames:

Somebody ----s something
Somebody ----s somebody

Derivation:

guard (the duty of serving as a sentry)

guard (a person who keeps watch over something or someone)

Sense 2

Meaning:

Watch over or shield from danger or harm; protect

Classified under:

Verbs of fighting, athletic activities

Synonyms:

guard; ward

Context example:

guard my possessions while I'm away

Hypernyms (to "guard" is one way to...):

protect (shield from danger, injury, destruction, or damage)

Troponyms (each of the following is one way to "guard"):

shepherd (watch over like a shepherd, as a teacher of her pupils)

Sentence frames:

Somebody ----s something
Somebody ----s somebody
Something ----s somebody
Something ----s something

Derivation:

guard (a military unit serving to protect some place or person)

Sense 3

Meaning:

Protect against a challenge or attack

Classified under:

Verbs of fighting, athletic activities

Synonyms:

defend; guard; hold

Context example:

Hold the bridge against the enemy's attacks

Hypernyms (to "guard" is one way to...):

protect (shield from danger, injury, destruction, or damage)

Verb group:

hold (take and maintain control over, often by violent means)

Sentence frame:

Somebody ----s something

Sense 4

Meaning:

Take precautions in order to avoid some unwanted consequence

Classified under:

Verbs of political and social activities and events

Context example:

guard against infection

Hypernyms (to "guard" is one way to...):

act; move (perform an action, or work out or perform (an action))

Sentence frame:

Somebody ----s PP

 Context examples 

It was no light adventure, this trusting ourselves in a small boat to so raw and stormy a sea, and it was imperative that we should guard ourselves against the cold and wet.

(The Sea-Wolf, by Jack London)

He had to guard them against the second team of dogs, and when he had reentered the cabin the other man had unpacked the sled and fetched water.

(Love of Life and Other Stories, by Jack London)

This is now all the more precious that he know it not, and to guard himself have even cut himself off from his knowledge of our where.

(Dracula, by Bram Stoker)

And yet you cannot guard yourself too closely.

(The Adventures of Sherlock Holmes, by Sir Arthur Conan Doyle)

Two of the lads walked up to the trainer’s house, where they had supper in the kitchen, while the third, Ned Hunter, remained on guard.

(The Memoirs of Sherlock Holmes, by Sir Arthur Conan Doyle)

Do you stay on guard, my good Watson, and receive any fresh visitors.

(The Return of Sherlock Holmes, by Sir Arthur Conan Doyle)

The only way out was between the two tepees, and this the boy guarded.

(White Fang, by Jack London)

She gave that funny guard to keep the turquoise on, as it's too big.

(Little Women, by Louisa May Alcott)

She was to have my bed, and I was to lie in the sitting-room, to keep guard over her.

(David Copperfield, by Charles Dickens)

Wilt guard my treasure for me?

(The White Company, by Sir Arthur Conan Doyle)