guardnoun [ C ]
uk/ɡɑːd/us/ɡɑːrd/guard noun [ C ] (PERSON WHO PROTECTS)
B1 a person or group of people whose job is to protect a person, place, or thing from danger or attack, or to prevent a person such as a criminal from escaping:
to be kept in a place by a group of people who have weapons:
to be responsible for protecting someone or something, or for preventing someone from escaping:
a ceremony held outside Buckingham Palace in London, where one set of soldiers replaces the soldiers who have finished their time on duty standing outside the palace
More examples
- They tried to buy the guard at the bank off but he told the police and the gang were arrested.
- The guards failed to observe who delivered the package.
- The border guards stopped me and asked to see my papers.
- There are guards on the door to keep out undesirables.
- Armed guards were stationed around the airport.
Thesaurus: synonyms and related words
Protection and protectors
- aegis
- auspices
- bailiff
- bandobast
- beefeater
- buffer
- conservation
- guardian
- homeland security
- janitor
- keeper
- minder
- night watchman
- preservation
- ranger
- self-protection
- sentinel
- shield
- warden
- watchman
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You can also find related words, phrases, and synonyms in the topics:
guard noun [ C ] (ON A TRAIN)
UK US conductor a railway official who travels on and is responsible for a train
Thesaurus: synonyms and related words
Railway workers
- conductor
- engine driver
- engineer
- motorman
- porter
- signalman
- stationmaster
- stoker
guard noun [ C ] (DEVICE)
a device that protects a dangerous part of something or that protects something from getting damaged:
Thesaurus: synonyms and related words
Machines - parts
- ball bearing
- bearing
- clutch
- cog
- cogwheel
- hub
- inlet
- input
- jet
- lever
- manifold
- pedal
- rack and pinion
- ram
- ratchet
- soft key
- stepney
- timer
- vee belt
- wheel
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Idiom(s)
guardverb [ T ]
uk/ɡɑːd/us/ɡɑːrd/guard verb [ T ] (WATCH)
B2 to protect someone or something from being attacked or stolen:
B2 to watch someone and make certain they do not escape from a place:
More examples
- The village was guarded by a ragtag group of soldiers.
- The offices were securely guarded.
- Armed security officers are employed to guard the president.
- The police officers guarding the door let in the celebrities, but they prevented us lesser/mere mortals from going inside.
- He was employed to guard the singer when she was on tour.
Thesaurus: synonyms and related words
Defending and protecting
- baby
- bandobast
- bastion
- biodefence
- cherish
- featherbed
- kill
- mollycoddle
- mother
- out of harm's way idiom
- overprotective
- patrol
- proof
- proof
- protect
- protective
- wet nurse
- wing
- wrap
- wrap sb (up) in cotton wool idiom
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guard verb [ T ] (NOT TELL)
to keep information secret:
Thesaurus: synonyms and related words
Secrecy and privacy
- anonymity
- anonymize
- anonymous
- backroom
- backstage
- counsel
- dissimulate
- dissimulation
- entre nous
- executive privilege
- furtive
- lip
- private
- privately
- privileged
- sanctum
- scent
- secrecy
- skeleton
- sweep
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