3 N‑COUNT A guard is someone such as a soldier, police officer, or prison officer who is guarding a particular place or person. □ The prisoners overpowered their guards and locked them in a cell.
4 N‑SING [with sing or pl verb] A guard is a specially organized group of people, such as soldiers or police officers, who protect or watch someone or something. □ We have a security guard around the whole area. □ A heavily armed guard of police have sealed off the city centre.
5 N‑COUNT On a train, a guard is a person whose job is to travel on the train in order to help passengers, check tickets, and make sure that the train travels safely and on time. [BRIT ] in AM, use conductor 6 VERB If you guard some information or advantage that you have, you try to protect it or keep it for yourself. □ [V n] He closely guarded her identity. □ [V -ed] …a threat to the country's jealously guarded unity.
7 N‑COUNT A guard is a protective device which covers a part of someone's body or a dangerous part of a piece of equipment. □ …the chin guard of my helmet. □ A blade guard is fitted to protect the operator.
8 N‑COUNT Some regiments in the British Army, or the soldiers in them, are referred to as Guards . □ …the Grenadier Guards.
9 → see also guarded , bodyguard , coastguard , lifeguard , old guard
10 PHRASE If someone catches you off guard , they surprise you by doing something you do not expect. If something catches you off guard , it surprises you by happening when you are not expecting it. □ Charm the audience and catch them off guard. □ The invitation had caught me off guard.
11 PHRASE If you lower your guard , let your guard down or drop your guard , you relax when you should be careful and alert, often with unpleasant consequences. □ The ANC could not afford to lower its guard until everything had been carried out. □ You can't let your guard down.
12 PHRASE If you mount guard or if you mount a guard , you organize people to watch or protect a person or place. □ They've even mounted guard outside the main hotel in the capital.
13 PHRASE If you are on your guard or on guard , you are being very careful because you think a situation might become difficult or dangerous. □ The police have questioned him thoroughly, and he'll be on his guard. □ He is constantly on guard against any threat of humiliation.
14 PHRASE If someone is on guard , they are on duty and responsible for guarding a particular place or person. □ Police were on guard at Barnet town hall.
15 PHRASE If you stand guard , you stand near a particular person or place because you are responsible for watching or protecting them. □ One young policeman stood guard outside the locked embassy gates.
16 PHRASE If someone is under guard , they are being guarded. □ Three men were arrested and one was under guard in hospital.
▸ guard against PHRASAL VERB If you guard against something, you are careful to prevent it from happening, or to avoid being affected by it. □ [V P n] The armed forces were on high alert to guard against any retaliation. COLLOCATIONS guard NOUN
3
noun + guard : border, palace, prison; security
verb + guard : overpower; hire, post, station
adjective + guard : armed, uniformed
4
adjective + guard : armed; presidential VERB
1
guard + noun : building, compound, embassy, entrance; border
noun + guard : officers, soldiers, troops
guard + adverb : carefully, heavily
2
guard + noun : prisoner
6
guard + noun : privacy, secret
guard + adverb : closely, heavily, jealously
gua rd dog (guard dogs ) N‑COUNT A guard dog is a fierce dog that has been specially trained to protect a particular place.
guard|ed /gɑː r d I d/ ADJ If you describe someone as guarded , you mean that they are careful not to show their feelings or give away information. □ The boy gave him a guarded look. □ In the office, Dr. Lahey seemed less guarded, more relaxed. ● guard|ed|ly ADV [usu ADV with v, ADV adj] □ 'I am happy, so far,' he says guardedly. □ They are guardedly optimistic that the market is on the road to recovery.
guard|ian /gɑː r diən/ (guardians )
1 N‑COUNT [usu with poss] A guardian is someone who has been legally appointed to look after the affairs of another person, for example a child or someone who is mentally ill.
2 N‑COUNT The guardian of something is someone who defends and protects it. □ [+ of ] The National Party is lifting its profile as socially conservative guardian of traditional values.
gua rd|ian a n|gel (guardian angels ) N‑COUNT A guardian angel is a spirit who is believed to protect and guide a particular person.
guardi|an|ship /gɑː r diənʃ I p/ N‑UNCOUNT [usu with poss] Guardianship is the position of being a guardian. □ …depriving mothers of the guardianship of their children.
gua rd of ho n|our (guards of honour ) N‑COUNT A guard of honour is an official parade of troops, usually to celebrate or honour a special occasion, such as the visit of a head of state. [BRIT ] in AM, use honor guard