guard
[verb]
Synonyms:
- watch over, defend, mind, preserve, protect, safeguard, secure, shield
[noun]
Synonyms:
- protector, custodian, defender, lookout, picket, sentinel, sentry, warder, watch, watchman
- protection, buffer, defence, safeguard, screen, security, shield
- off guard: unprepared, napping, unready, unwary
- on guard: prepared, alert, cautious, circumspect, on the alert, on the lookout, ready, vigilant, wary, watchful

---

Related Words: guardian, jailer, keeper, turnkey, warden, warder, patrolman, outguard, patrol, attend, mind, tend, watch, accompany, chaperon, conduct, convoy, escort

---

English Thesaurus: port, harbour, dock, pier, jetty, ...

[TahlilGaran] English Synonym Dictionary ▲

I. guard¹ S3 W3 /ɡɑːd $ ɡɑːrd/ noun
[Date: 1400-1500; Language: French; Origin: garde]

1. PERSON [countable]
a) someone whose job is to protect a place or person:
There were two security guards on duty outside the building.
We were stopped by border guards.
Armed guards were posted by the exit.
b) someone whose job is to prevent prisoners from escaping:
The prison guards were reasonably friendly.

2. PROTECTION [uncountable] the act or duty of protecting places or people, or of preventing prisoners from escaping
be on guard
Who was on guard the night the fire broke out?
keep/stand guard (over somebody/something)
Gunmen stood guard at the camp entrance.
be under (police/armed etc) guard (=to be guarded by a group of people)
He was taken to hospital, where he is now under police guard.

3. SOLDIERS
a) [singular] a group of soldiers who guard someone or something:
The President has called in the National Guard.
b) the Guards British English a group of soldiers who protect the king or queen

4. EQUIPMENT [countable] something that is used to protect someone or something from damage or injury:
a face guard
a fire guard

5. ON A TRAIN [countable] British English a person whose job is to be in charge of a train Synonym : conductor American English

6. on your guard to be paying attention to what is happening in order to avoid danger, being tricked etc:
These men are dangerous so you’ll need to be on your guard.
Something in his tone put her on her guard.

7. catch/throw somebody off guard to surprise someone by doing something that they are not ready to deal with:
Senator O'Hare was caught off guard by the question.

8. guard of honour a group of people who walk or stand together at a special occasion in order to show respect:
Police colleagues formed a guard of honour at her funeral.

9. the old guard a group of people in an organization who want to do things in the way they were done in the past:
the Communist old guard

10. FIGHTING [singular] the position of holding your arms or hands up in a fight in order to defend yourself:
He swung at me and I brought my guard up.

11. SPORT [countable]
a) one of two players on a basketball team who is responsible for moving the ball to help their team gain points
b) one of two players on an American football team who plays either side of the centre

[TahlilGaran] Dictionary of Contemporary English ▲

II. guard² verb [transitive]

1. to protect a person, place, or object by staying near them and watching them:
The Sergeant told Swift to guard the entrance.
a lioness guarding her cubs
guard somebody/something against something
There is no one to guard these isolated farms against attack.

2. to watch a prisoner to prevent them from escaping

3. to protect something such as a right or a secret by preventing other people from taking it away, discovering it etc:
chiefs who jealously guarded their independence
a closely guarded secret

4. to prevent another sports player from gaining points, getting the ball etc
guard against something phrasal verb
to prevent something from happening:
Exercise can guard against a number of illnesses.
guard against doing something
Nurses should guard against becoming too attached to their patients.

[TahlilGaran] Dictionary of Contemporary English ▲

guard
noun
I. person who guards sb/sth
ADJ. armed, uniformed The building is protected by armed guards.
border, prison, security
VERB + GUARD post Guards had been posted all around the radio station.
GUARD + VERB patrol sth Guards patrolled the perimeter fence.
protect sth
GUARD + NOUN duty | dog

[TahlilGaran] Collocations Dictionary ▲

guard
II. being ready to prevent attack or danger
ADJ. close | constant | armed The accused was taken to court under armed guard.
police
VERB + GUARD keep, mount, stand Soldiers stood guard on the city gates.
PREP. off your ~ The question seemed to catch him off his guard.
on (your) ~ Several police officers were on guard outside the factory. He was always on his guard against moneymaking schemes.
under ~ The prisoners were under close guard.
~ against, ~ over Two police officers kept guard over the burnt-out building.

[TahlilGaran] Collocations Dictionary ▲

guard
III. group of soldiers/policemen who guard sb/sth
ADJ. civil, national, palace, presidential | advance
VERB + GUARD change The guard was changed every two hours.
call out It would only be a matter of minutes before the alarm was raised and the guard called out.
PHRASES guard of honour Fellow soldiers from Corporal Smith's regiment formed a guard of honour at his wedding.

[TahlilGaran] Collocations Dictionary ▲

guard
verb
ADV. well The mountain pass is well guarded.
carefully a bird carefully guarding its eggs
fiercely, jealously She jealously guarded her position of power.
PREP. against guarding the city against attack
from pop stars who need to be guarded from their fans
PHRASES closely/heavily/securely guarded The military base is closely guarded.
guard sb/sth with your life He was under instructions to guard the key with his life.
strictly/tightly guarded strictly guarded privacy

[TahlilGaran] Collocations Dictionary ▲

port noun [uncountable and countable] a place where ships can be loaded and unloaded:
a busy port
We’ll have two days ashore while the ship is in port.
The ferry was about to leave port.
harbour British English, harbor American English noun [countable] an area of water next to the land which is protected by walls so the water is calm, and is a place where ships can stay when they are not sailing:
They sailed into Portsmouth Harbour
Tourist boats leave the harbour at Riva regularly.
the harbour wall
dock [uncountable and countable] a place in a port where ships are loaded, unloaded, or repaired:
A crowd was waiting at the dock to greet them.
The ship was in dock for repairs.
pier a structure that is built over and into the water so that boats can stop next to it or people can walk along it:
The yacht was moored at a pier.
jetty noun [countable] a wall or platform built out into the water, used for getting on and off boats:
a wooden jetty
The house has a private jetty.
mooring noun [countable] the place where a ship or boat is fastened to the land or to the bottom of the sea:
Tugs towed the boat away from its mooring at White Bay.
marina noun [countable] a harbour where people keep boats which are used for pleasure:
They are building a new 220-berth marina.
The apartments have a private marina.
protect to keep someone or something safe from harm, damage, or illness:
Don’t worry, I’ll protect you.
The government wants to protect the environment.
Eating healthily helps to protect against many diseases.
give/offer/provide protection to protect someone from something harmful:
Wearing a hat offers some protection from the sun.
The drug can give protection against cancer.
The law provides no protection.
guard to protect a person, place, or object by staying near them and watching them:
Police officers guarded the entrance to the building.
He is guarded by armed men.
save to protect someone or something when they are in danger of being harmed or destroyed:
Local people are fighting to save the theatre from demolition.
Emergency aid could save millions of people who are threatened with starvation.
preserve to keep something, especially buildings or the environment, from being harmed, destroyed, or changed too much:
The organization works to preserve forests.
There is little money for preserving historic buildings.
safeguard to protect something important, such as people’s rights, interests, jobs, health etc:
The deal will safeguard 200 jobs at the factory.
Laws should do more to safeguard the rights of victims.
shield to put something in front of something else to protect it. Also used to talk about protecting people from unpleasant situations:
He lifted his hand to shield his eyes from the light.
They thought the public should be shielded from the truth.
shelter to provide a place where someone or something is protected from the weather or from danger:
The village is sheltered by a belt of trees.
His family had sheltered Jews during the war.

[TahlilGaran] English Thesaurus ▲

protect to keep someone or something safe from harm, damage, or illness:
Don’t worry, I’ll protect you.
The government wants to protect the environment.
Eating healthily helps to protect against many diseases.
give/offer/provide protection to protect someone from something harmful:
Wearing a hat offers some protection from the sun.
The drug can give protection against cancer.
The law provides no protection.
guard to protect a person, place, or object by staying near them and watching them:
Police officers guarded the entrance to the building.
He is guarded by armed men.
save to protect someone or something when they are in danger of being harmed or destroyed:
Local people are fighting to save the theatre from demolition.
Emergency aid could save millions of people who are threatened with starvation.
preserve to keep something, especially buildings or the environment, from being harmed, destroyed, or changed too much:
The organization works to preserve forests.
There is little money for preserving historic buildings.
safeguard to protect something important, such as people’s rights, interests, jobs, health etc:
The deal will safeguard 200 jobs at the factory.
Laws should do more to safeguard the rights of victims.
shield to put something in front of something else to protect it. Also used to talk about protecting people from unpleasant situations:
He lifted his hand to shield his eyes from the light.
They thought the public should be shielded from the truth.
shelter to provide a place where someone or something is protected from the weather or from danger:
The village is sheltered by a belt of trees.
His family had sheltered Jews during the war.
harbour British English, harbor American English to help and protect someone who has done something illegal, and prevent the police from finding them:
He is accused of harbouring suspected terrorists.

[TahlilGaran] English Thesaurus ▲

guard
ɡɑ:d
See: color guard , off guard , on guard

[TahlilGaran] English Idioms Dictionary ▲