a large room in a hospital with beds for people to stay in
a surgical/geriatric/psychiatric ward
Jo is a staffnurseworking on the maternity ward.
admit someone to a ward (=bring them into hospital to stay):
When Julie was admitted to the ward she was still in a lot of pain.
Synonyms and related words
Rooms and departments in hospitals and clinics
A&E
casualty
consulting room
2
a small district that a city, town, or other area is divided into for local elections in the UK
Synonyms and related words
Areas in towns or cities
agora
area
armpit
3
legalsomeone, especially a child, who is officially being looked after by a court of law or by someone who is not their parents. The person who looks after them is their guardian
She was made a ward of court when her parentsdied.
Synonyms and related words
Adoption and caring for other people’s children
adopt
adopted
adopter
ward
noun countable
US /wɔrd/
Other entries for this word
wardverb
-wardsuffix
maternity wardnoun
Word Forms
singular
ward
plural
wards
DEFINITIONS3
1
a large room in a hospital with beds for people to stay in
a surgical/geriatric/psychiatric ward
Jo is working on the maternity ward.
admit someone to a ward (=bring them into hospital to stay):
When Julie was admitted to the ward she was still in a lot of pain.
Synonyms and related words
Rooms and departments in hospitals and clinics
A&E
casualty
consulting room
2
a small district that a city, town, or other area is divided into for local elections in the U.K.
Synonyms and related words
Areas in towns or cities
agora
area
armpit
3
legalsomeone, especially a child, who is officially being looked after by a court of law or by someone who is not their parents. The person who looks after them is their guardian
She was made a ward of the court when her parentsdied.
Synonyms and related words
Adoption and caring for other people’s children
adopt
adopted
adopter
ward
verb
UK /wɔː(r)d/
Other entries for this word
wardnoun
-wardsuffix
maternity wardnoun
Word Forms
present tense
I/you/we/they
ward
he/she/it
wards
present participle
warding
past tense
warded
past participle
warded
phrasal verb
ward off
transitive
Word Forms
present tense
I/you/we/they
ward off
he/she/it
wards off
present participle
warding off
past tense
warded off
past participle
warded off
1
to do something to prevent someone or something from harming you
Sheilacarried a knife to ward off attacks.
Synonyms and related words
To defend or protect yourself
fight off
fend off
stand up to
ward
verb
US /wɔrd/
Other entries for this word
wardnoun
-wardsuffix
maternity wardnoun
Word Forms
present tense
I/you/we/they
ward
he/she/it
wards
present participle
warding
past tense
warded
past participle
warded
phrasal verb
ward off
transitive
Word Forms
present tense
I/you/we/they
ward off
he/she/it
wards off
present participle
warding off
past tense
warded off
past participle
warded off
1
to do something to prevent someone or something from harming you