guard

The word “guard” means a person whose job is to protect a place, person, or thing. In plain terms, to protect, or a person/thing whose job is protection.

“Guard” is pronounced gahd (/ɡɑɹd/ in IPA).

Here is “guard” used in a sentence: “Two guards stood at the entrance to the museum.”

Depending on how it is used, “guard” can be a noun and a verb.

The word “guard” comes from Old French. From Old French guarder, ultimately from a Germanic root meaning "to watch over" — a doublet of "garda" (as in "Garda," Ireland's police force).

“Guard” is a very common word in modern English, usually learned at around the A2 level.

“Guard” has 4 distinct senses listed in this dictionary. The most common is: a person whose job is to protect a place, person, or thing.

A guard protects a place, person, or object, usually as a job — think of a security guard or a prison guard watching over premises. A guardian is legally responsible for someone else's welfare, most often a child or a dependent adult. A guard watches; a guardian is entrusted with care.

Common kinds include the security guard who watches buildings, the bodyguard who protects a person, the prison guard who oversees inmates, and the lifeguard who watches swimmers. The word also names ceremonial roles, such as a palace guard, and border or crossing guards who control who passes.

A security guard stationed at the entrance of a bank or shopping mall is a familiar example. Their job is to deter theft, monitor who comes and goes, and respond if something goes wrong — exactly the protective role the word describes.