guard
guard — verb
1. to keep a person, place, or thing safe by watching over them and taking action a
to keep a person, place, or thing safe by watching over them and taking action against possible dangers such as attack, theft, or harm
Sana keeps a large dog to guard her house at night.
guard + noun + infinitive of purpose
The museum hired extra security to guard the ancient gold coins.
Two officers stood at the checkpoint to guard the border.
guard + noun (place being protected)
A strong password helps guard your online bank account from thieves.
guard + noun + from + noun (threat)
The high wall was built to guard the village against enemy attacks.
- guard the entrance
- guard the border
- guard against attack
- guard from harm
- guard someone's safety
Grammar Patterns
guard + noun
guard + noun + from/against + noun
Usage Note
Often used with 'from' or 'against' to specify the danger. Subject can be a person, an animal, a device, or a structure.
Common Mistakes
2. to stay near a person who is being held in a place, especially a prisoner or sus
to stay near a person who is being held in a place, especially a prisoner or suspect, and make sure they do not run away
The police officer guarded the suspect until the lawyer arrived.
guard + noun (person in custody)
Felipe was told to guard the prisoners while the transport van came.
The captives were guarded day and night by armed soldiers.
passive: be guarded + adverbial of time
A single officer was left to guard the cells for the whole night.
The soldiers guarded the captured spy in a small locked room.
guard + noun + prepositional phrase (location)
- guard the prisoner
- guard the suspect
- guard the cells
- guard day and night
- guard under armed supervision
- keep watch over
more formal and slightly longer phrasing
- supervise
less specific; does not imply the person is a prisoner
Grammar Patterns
guard + noun (person)
be + guarded
Usage Note
Frequently passive. Distinguish from sense 1 (PROTECT FROM DANGER): this sense is about preventing escape, not about preventing harm. The object is usually a person being held against their will.
Common Mistakes
3. to make sure that certain facts, details, or knowledge are not shared with or di
to make sure that certain facts, details, or knowledge are not shared with or discovered by other people
The company guarded its secret recipe for over a hundred years.
guard + secret + noun (thing kept hidden)
Élise guards her personal information very carefully when she shops online.
guard + noun + carefully (adverb of care)
Scientists guard their research data until they publish their findings.
Amira guarded the location of the hidden treasure from everyone.
guard + noun + from + noun (audience kept from knowing)
The club guards the names of its famous members from the public.
- guard a secret
- guard information
- guard closely
- guard from the public
- guard data
- keep secret
more direct and common in everyday speech
- conceal
more formal; suggests deliberate hiding
- withhold
implies refusing to share information that others want
Grammar Patterns
guard + noun (information)
guard + noun + from + noun
Usage Note
The object is always information or knowledge, never a person or physical place. Common with adverbs such as 'closely', 'jealously', and 'carefully'.
Common Mistakes
4. in basketball, American football, and similar sports, to stay very close to a pl
in basketball, American football, and similar sports, to stay very close to a player from the opposing team, trying to stop them from getting the ball, moving forward, or scoring points
Christopher guarded the opposing team's best player for the whole game.
guard + noun (opposing player) + duration
Walid guarded the forward so closely that he could not receive the ball.
guard + noun + result clause
In the final minute, Tariro guarded the point guard at the three-point line.
The coach asked Esteban to guard the other team's strongest scorer.
Nellie guarded her opponent carefully, blocking every shot she took.
guard + noun + adverb (manner of defence)
- guard a player
- guard closely
- guard the point guard
- guard the basket
- guard man-to-man
- mark
used in British English and in sports like soccer for the same concept
- cover
broader; may mean defending an area rather than a specific player
- defend against
describes the overall defensive role rather than a specific player assignment
Grammar Patterns
guard + noun (player)
Usage Note
Common in basketball, American football, and handball. The thing being guarded is always a person (the opposing player), not the ball or the goal. 'Guard' can also be used as a noun for the position in basketball.
Common Mistakes
guard — noun
1. a person employed to protect people, buildings, or valuable objects by watching
a person employed to protect people, buildings, or valuable objects by watching for danger and preventing theft, damage, or unauthorised access.
The museum guard asked a visitor to step away from the painting.
countable noun describing a job role
Imran works as a security guard at the airport, checking bags before they are loaded.
compound noun: security guard
Two armed guards stood outside the bank entrance all night.
The prison guard unlocked the cell door and handed the prisoner his lunch.
compound noun: prison guard
A team of four guards protected the building while the meeting was taking place.
- security guard
- prison guard
- armed guard
- border guard
- guard dog
- security guard
the most common modern term, often for someone protecting a building or event
- sentinel
a more formal or literary word, often for a soldier posted at an entrance
- watchman
usually someone who guards a building at night, older-sounding term
- escort
a guard who travels with a person or valuable item to protect them during transit
- intruder
someone who tries to enter a place without permission — the opposite of what a guard tries to stop
Grammar Patterns
guard + of + place
compound: security guard / prison guard
Usage Note
Often appears in compound nouns such as 'security guard', 'prison guard', or 'armed guard' that specify the type of location or level of protection.
Common Mistakes
2. a situation in which armed people closely watch and control where someone can go
a situation in which armed people closely watch and control where someone can go, usually because that person has been arrested or is seen as a risk.
The prisoner was kept under heavy guard at the military base before the trial.
under + adjective + guard: under heavy guard
The three suspects were taken to court under armed police guard.
The diamond necklace was delivered to the exhibition under armed guard.
under armed guard — common for valuable items
Aylin was placed under guard after she agreed to testify against the gang.
The former dictator stayed under guard in his own house for many years.
- under guard
- under armed guard
- under police guard
- under heavy guard
- in custody
broader term meaning officially detained, not specifically about armed watching
- under surveillance
watched secretly rather than openly guarded by armed people
- free
not being watched or controlled by guards
- unescorted
travelling without a guard
Grammar Patterns
under + guard
under + adjective + guard (under armed guard)
Usage Note
Always used after the preposition 'under' in the fixed phrase 'under guard'. The structure 'under [adjective] guard' allows modifiers such as 'armed', 'heavy', or 'police'.
Common Mistakes
3. the duty of staying in one place and keeping watch over a person, a building, or
the duty of staying in one place and keeping watch over a person, a building, or an object to protect it or prevent someone from escaping.
Two soldiers stood guard at the embassy entrance throughout the night.
stand guard + at + place
Élise stood guard over the picnic baskets while her friends swam in the lake.
stand guard + over + object — informal use
The dog kept guard by the front door, watching every person who walked past.
Two officers kept guard outside the hospital room where the witness was resting.
keep guard + outside + place
A single guard stood at the entrance of the old temple day and night.
- stand guard
- keep guard
- stand guard over
- keep guard at
- keep watch
very similar meaning, but 'keep watch' can also be done secretly, while 'stand guard' is usually visible
- mount guard
more formal, used in military contexts
Grammar Patterns
stand + guard
keep + guard
stand/keep + guard + over/at/outside
Usage Note
Used in the fixed phrases 'stand guard' and 'keep guard'. The subject can be a person, a group, or an animal (e.g., a guard dog). The phrase 'stand guard over' can also be used informally for looking after everyday objects.
Common Mistakes
4. a formal ceremony in which one team of soldiers takes over the duty of guarding
a formal ceremony in which one team of soldiers takes over the duty of guarding a significant building from the team that has just finished their shift.
Thousands of tourists gather each morning to watch the changing of the guard at the palace.
fixed phrase: the changing of the guard
The changing of the guard ceremony includes music from a marching band and lasts about thirty minutes.
Sofia arrived early to get a good view of the changing of the guard.
The old guards marched away as the new soldiers took their positions at the front gates.
- the changing of the guard
- guard mounting
another formal term for the same ceremony, less common in everyday use
Grammar Patterns
the changing of the guard
Usage Note
Always used with the definite article in the form 'the changing of the guard'. Refers specifically to the visible ceremony at places like Buckingham Palace. Not used for ordinary shift changes.
Common Mistakes
5. a period or process in which a new leader or team takes control of an organisati
a period or process in which a new leader or team takes control of an organisation, company, or country, usually bringing major changes to how things are run.
The change of guard at the technology company brought younger leaders and fresh ideas.
change of guard + at + organisation
After the election there was a clear change of guard in the education department.
Many employees felt nervous during the change of guard at the family-owned business.
The university's change of guard led to new policies on research funding and hiring.
possessive + change of guard
- change of guard
- changing of the guard (metaphorical)
- transition of power
more formal, usually for political leadership changes
- handover
less formal, can be for any transfer of responsibilities
- regime change
stronger political meaning, often for an entire government being replaced
Grammar Patterns
a change of guard
the changing of the guard (metaphorical)
Usage Note
Metaphorically extends the ceremonial 'changing of the guard' to any situation where leadership changes. Unlike the ceremonial sense, this form can use either 'a change of guard' (indefinite) or 'the changing of the guard' (definite). Distinguish from sense 4, which is the literal ceremony.
Common Mistakes
6. a railway employee who rides on a train, makes sure it runs safely, checks ticke
a railway employee who rides on a train, makes sure it runs safely, checks tickets, and helps passengers.
Otis asked the train guard whether the service had a dining carriage on this route.
The guard walked through each carriage to check that all doors were properly closed before departure.
guard + verb: checking the train
The guard blew his whistle and waved a green flag for the train to depart.
Every train on this line has a guard who signals when it is safe to leave the station.
Lauren showed her ticket to the guard and asked which platform the next train would use.
interaction with guard: showing ticket and asking for information
- train guard
- railway guard
- conductor
the American English equivalent; also used on some British rail systems
- train manager
a modern alternative term used by some UK train companies
Grammar Patterns
the guard + verb (announced/checked/signalled)
Usage Note
Chiefly British English. The equivalent role in American English is called a 'conductor'. In modern UK usage, some railway companies use the term 'train manager' instead.
Common Mistakes
7. a cover, shield, or piece of material fitted over a sharp, hot, or moving part o
a cover, shield, or piece of material fitted over a sharp, hot, or moving part of equipment so that people cannot touch it accidentally and the equipment is less likely to break
Élise checked that the guard on the saw was in place before cutting the wood.
collocation: guard on [tool]
The plastic guard covers the blade so that children cannot touch it.
passive: be covered + guard
A metal guard fitted over the fan prevents fingers from reaching the spinning blades.
prevents [noun] from [verb-ing]
Without the protective guard, the machine's hot surface could burn a worker badly.
Hamza replaced the broken guard on the lawnmower before using it in the garden.
- guard on [a tool]
- protective guard
- metal / plastic guard
- replace a guard
- remove a guard
Usage Note
Often used in compound nouns describing the type of equipment: blade guard, chain guard, trigger guard.
Common Mistakes
8. a basketball-team position for quick, accurate shooters — two per team — who bri
a basketball-team position for quick, accurate shooters — two per team — who bring the ball up the court and score from outside
Minh plays as a guard for his school team and scores most of the points.
play as a guard
The team's best guard dribbled past two defenders and made a difficult shot.
Sayaka was chosen as a starting guard because of her speed and shooting accuracy.
starting guard
A good basketball guard must be able to pass the ball quickly to teammates.
good guard + ability
Wren trained hard to improve her skills as a guard during the summer camp.
- play guard
- starting guard
- point guard / shooting guard
- guard position
- point guard
the specific guard role that calls plays and sets up scoring chances
- shooting guard
the specific guard role focused on scoring from the outside
Usage Note
In basketball there are two types: the point guard, who directs the team's plays, and the shooting guard, who focuses on scoring. Both are simply called guards as a group.
Common Mistakes
9. an offensive-line position in American football, filled by a player who stands b
an offensive-line position in American football, filled by a player who stands beside the center and blocks defenders from reaching the quarterback or ball carrier
Andrés plays as a guard on the offensive line for his college team.
play as a guard (football)
The guard blocked two defenders to give the quarterback time to throw.
A strong guard is essential for protecting the quarterback during passing plays.
strong guard protects quarterback
Coach Elena moved Christopher to the guard position because of his strength.
The opposing guard rushed forward and stopped the running back behind the line.
opposing guard
- offensive guard
- guard position
- left / right guard
- guard blocks
- offensive guard
the full, more formal term for this position
- lineman
a broader term for any player on the offensive line, including tackles and the center
Usage Note
This sense is specific to American and Canadian football. The guard's main job is blocking, not handling the ball or scoring.
Common Mistakes
10. a defensive arm position used in boxing and similar combat sports, where you rai
a defensive arm position used in boxing and similar combat sports, where you raise both hands near your face to block or reduce the force of incoming punches
The boxer raised his guard just in time to block the punch to his face.
raise [possessive] guard
Nkechi kept her guard up throughout the round to protect herself from hits.
keep [possessive] guard up
Dropping your guard even for a second can leave you open to a hard hit.
idiom: drop your guard
The trainer told Jude to keep his guard tight and his eyes on the opponent.
A loose guard leaves the jaw and body exposed to the other fighter's strikes.
- keep your guard up
- drop your guard
- raise your guard
- tight / high / loose guard
- defensive stance
a more general term for any combat sports posture; less specific to arm positioning
- fighting stance
describes the overall body position rather than just the arm defence
Usage Note
Frequently used with verbs of maintenance: keep up, hold, raise, drop. Dropping your guard is also used figuratively in everyday English to mean failing to defend yourself against criticism or risk.
Common Mistakes
11. in curling, a granite stone sent sliding down the ice to a position in front of
in curling, a granite stone sent sliding down the ice to a position in front of the target area, protecting the team's scoring stones from being knocked away by the opponent
The team placed a guard in front of their scoring stone to block the opponents.
place a guard (curling)
Walid slid the guard to the front of the house to protect their best stone.
slide the guard to
A well-placed guard makes it very hard for the other team to knock you out.
The skip told Amira to aim for the guard position just past the hog line.
guard position (curling)
- place a guard
- guard stone
- guard position
- in front of the house
- guard stone
the fuller term for this curling stone; used interchangeably
Usage Note
This sense is used only in curling, a sport played on ice. A guard stone does not count for points itself; its value is purely defensive.
12. a shortened informal way of referring to the National Guard, a U.S. military res
a shortened informal way of referring to the National Guard, a U.S. military reserve force that serves both the federal government and individual states, often called upon during emergencies such as natural disasters
Tara joined the Guard after college and trains one weekend every month.
join the Guard
The Guard was called in to help with flood relief efforts across the state.
passive: be called in + Guard
Soldiers from the Guard helped distribute food and water after the hurricane.
Maeve's father served in the Guard for twenty years while working as a teacher.
serve in the Guard
The governor asked the Guard to assist local police during the emergency.
- join the Guard
- serve in the Guard
- the Guard was called in
- Guard members / soldiers
- National Guard
the full formal name
- Army National Guard
the specific land-based branch of the Guard, as distinct from the Air National Guard
- state guard
a term sometimes used for the Guard when activated by a state governor
Usage Note
Capitalize Guard when it refers to the National Guard. This informal usage is very common in American news headlines and casual speech.
Common Mistakes
be on your guard
idiomTo be very careful and ready for something difficult or dangerous.
Min was on her guard when the stranger approached her.
Are you on your guard against pickpockets in crowded places?
drop your guard
idiomTo stop being careful and prepared for possible danger or difficulty.
Sara dropped her guard and let the secret slip out.
Never drop your guard when negotiating a contract.
To watch or protect someone or something.
Two guards stood guard over the museum entrance.
Diego kept guard while his partner searched the room.
off (your) guard
idiomNot careful or prepared for something difficult or dangerous.
The sudden question caught Maya off guard.
Brian was off guard when the exam started early.
Word family
Common collocations
Etymology
Guard came into English from Old French 'garde' (custody, watching), which itself came from Frankish, a Germanic language spoken by the Franks. The Frankish root '*wardōn' means 'to watch, to protect' — the same root that gave Old English 'weard' (guardian, watchman). By the 1400s, 'guard' was being used in English for both the person who protects and the act of protecting. The sporting and mechanical uses (basketball guard, blade guard) developed later, in the 1800s and 1900s.