释义 |
guard I. \ˈgärd, ˈgȧd\ noun (-s) Etymology: Middle English garde, from Middle French, from Old French garde, guarde, from garder, guarder, v. 1. : one that defends against injury, danger, or attack < his greatness was no guard to bar heaven's shaft — Shakespeare > as a. : a bowl or stone played to a position where it protects another from attack in bowls or curling b. : a low card held with a valuable higher card in the same suit c. (1) : one of two players on either side of the center in the line in football (2) : either of two players stationed at the rear of the court in basketball whose play is primarily defensive 2. : a man or body of men stationed to protect or control a person or position: as a. : a soldier, sailor, marine, or airman or a number of them on guard duty < guards were posted about the army camp > < slipped past the palace guards > b. guards plural : troops attached to the person of a ruler (as a sovereign or governor) < Royal Horse Guards > < Governor's Foot Guards > < Grenadier Guards > < Dragoon Guards > c. : a group loyal to a defeated person or to an outmoded principle < an Old Guard Republican > d. (1) Britain : a railroad conductor (2) : a brakeman or gateman (as on a train of an elevated railroad or subway) e. : one who is responsible for the safety and discipline of inmates of a prison, reformatory, or other place of detention while they are within the institution, in transit to or from the institution, or on work detail f. : an officer of a society (as a secret order) whose duty it is to prevent intrusion by nonmembers g. : a gateman or watchman of a building or plant 3. obsolete : an ornamental trimming of lace or embroidery on the edge of a garment 4. a. : a state of watchfulness and readiness against danger : state of standing in defense of a person or thing against possible injury, attack, or theft < standing guard over the treasure > b. : the service or duties of one who keeps military watch < assigned to guard duty on the border > 5. a. : a posture of defense (as in fencing or boxing) : the position of the body or the arms in defense < got a blow in under his guard > < caught him off guard > < kept his guard up to protect his face > b. : the position of a cricketer's bat held perpendicularly at a point where it will stop a straight bowled ball that would otherwise hit the wicket 6. : a fixture or attachment designed to protect or secure against injury, soiling, defacement, theft, or loss: as a. : the part of a sword hilt that protects the hand b. : a chain or band for holding in place or safeguarding from loss < belt guard > < watch guard > c. : guard ring 1 d. : trigger guard e. : fender f. Britain : pilot 4a 7. a. : a piece of protective body armor < nose guard > b. : any of various devices worn by contestants as a protection against injury to some part < shin guard > c. : the hard calcareous fusiform or subcylindrical piece which ensheathes the phragmacone and forms the rear end of the shell of belemnites — called also rostrum 8. a. : a fence or rail to prevent falling from the deck of a ship b. guards plural : an extension of the deck of a ship beyond the hull; especially : the framework of timber in a side-wheel steamship protecting the paddle wheel and shaft 9. a. : a projecting paper or cloth strip bound with book leaves onto which an insert (as a map or folding plate) is fastened — called also stub b. : a narrow leaf usually 1/2 to 3/4 inches wide that compensates for an object mounted to a full page (as in a scrapbook or album) — called also stub c. : the supporting paper applied in rebinding to the broken folds of the leaves of a book before sewing d. : a paper or cloth strip added to the fold of the first and last section of a book for additional strength II. verb (-ed/-ing/-s) Etymology: Middle French garder, from Old French garder, guarder to ward, guard, of Germanic origin; akin to Old High German wartēn to watch, take care — more at ward transitive verb 1. : to finish and protect an edge of with an ornamental border or lace edging 2. a. : to protect from danger : defend, shield b. : to stand on the border or at the entrance of as if on guard < lawns guarded by stately elms > or as a barrier < rapids guarding the lower reaches of the river > c. : to protect (a card or a man) in a game by safeguards or support < forced to discard diamonds in order to guard the king of clubs > < the separated pawns could not both be guarded > 3. archaic : to accompany for protection : escort 4. a. : to watch over so as to prevent escape < a closely guarded secret > < guard a prisoner > or restrain from violence or indiscretion < warned her to guard her tongue in the presence of these people — L.C.Douglas > b. of a player in a goal game : to maintain a position so as to prevent (an opponent) from playing effectively 5. : to furnish with proper checks or corrections : safeguard < guard an experiment > 6. : to equip (as a book, a machine, a window) with a guard intransitive verb : to watch by way of caution or defense : be in a state or position of defense < hitting with his right, guarding with his left > : stand guard : take precautions < guard against mistakes by double-checking > Synonyms: see defend |