guard

I UK [ɡɑː(r)d] / US [ɡɑrd] noun
Word forms "guard":
singular guard plural guards
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1)

a) [countable] someone whose job is to look after a place or person so that no one causes damage, steals anything, or escapes

a prison guard

uniformed border guards

armed guard:

There was an armed guard on duty outside his door.

post a guard:

The captain posted two guards at the gate.

b) [singular] a group of guards who are working together

change/relieve the guard:

The guard was due to be relieved at six o'clock.

2) [singular] a unit of soldiers or police officers, especially one that has a particular job

members of the Presidential guard

troops belonging to the National Guard

a) Guards

[plural] used in the names of some units in an army, especially the British army

a captain in the Scots Guards

b) Guard

[countable] Irish informal an officer in the Irish police force

3) [countable] something that helps to stop something bad from happening

guard against:

We kept the landmines as a guard against invasion from the North.

4) [countable] British old-fashioned someone on a train whose job is to check tickets, announce the stations, and look after the passengers. The American word is conductor.

5) [countable] something that covers a dangerous part of a machine

a) something that you wear to protect a part of your body, for example when playing a sport

a mouth guard

b) the way that boxers stand with their hands in front of their face, to protect themselves from an opponent

put up your guard(s):

They put their guards up and began circling each other.

6)

a) [countable] in basketball, one of two players who are responsible for moving the ball around the court in order to create opportunities for their team to score

b) in American football, a player who plays next to the centre

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be/stay on guard= do guard duty — to be officially put somewhere to guard someone or something

drop/lower/let down your guard — to relax and trust people, even though this means that you might let yourself be upset or do the wrong thing. If someone does not do this, you can say that their guard is up; to stop being careful, for example in a game or when you are being attacked

She was not ready to let down her guard and confide in him.

We cannot afford to drop our guard.

keep a guard on your tongue/temper — old-fashioned to be careful about how you speak or behave

off (your) guard — not thinking about something, so that you might say or do something that you did not intend to

catch/take someone off (their) guard (= surprise someone):

"Why on earth did you tell him that?" "He caught me off guard!"

on (your) guard — thinking or behaving carefully, so that you do not say or do something that you did not intend to

There are cameras everywhere, so be on your guard!

stand/keep guard= mount a guard — to watch a person or place carefully in order to protect them from attack, or to prevent someone from escaping

Small groups of men kept guard in the fields.

stand/keep guard over:

Armed soldiers stood guard over him.

- under guard

II UK [ɡɑː(r)d] / US [ɡɑrd] verb [transitive]
Word forms "guard":
present tense I/you/we/they guard he/she/it guards present participle guarding past tense guarded past participle guarded
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1) to watch a place carefully to protect someone from attack, to prevent something from being stolen, or to prevent someone from escaping

There were two soldiers guarding the main gate.

The palace entrance is guarded round the clock.

heavily guarded:

the heavily guarded office of the Prime Minister

2) to protect someone or something from something dangerous or unpleasant

The male fish guards the eggs.

guard something/someone from something:

the trees that guarded the farm from the wind

3) to try very hard to keep something that is important to you

The company is fiercely guarding its independence.

4) if you guard information, you do not tell it to anyone

They have been guarding the details of their research.

closely/jealously guard something:

The recipe is a closely guarded secret.

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Collocations:
Adverbs frequently used with guard
▪  carefully, closely, fiercely, jealously

5) in a sport such as basketball, to try to prevent your opponent from scoring or from playing effectively

Phrasal verbs:

- guard against