Guard \Guard\, n. [OF. guarde, F. garde; of German origin; cf.
OHG. wart, warto, one who watches, warta a watching, Goth.
wardja watchman. See Guard, v. t.]
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1. One who, or that which, guards from injury, danger,
exposure, or attack; defense; protection.
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His greatness was no guard to bar heaven's shaft.
--Shak.
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2. A man, or body of men, stationed to protect or control a
person or position; a watch; a sentinel.
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The guard which kept the door of the king's house.
--Kings xiv.
27.
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3. One who has charge of a mail coach or a railway train; a
conductor. [Eng.]
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4. Any fixture or attachment designed to protect or secure
against injury, soiling, or defacement, theft or loss; as:
(a) That part of a sword hilt which protects the hand.
(b) Ornamental lace or hem protecting the edge of a
garment.
(c) A chain or cord for fastening a watch to one's person
or dress.
(d) A fence or rail to prevent falling from the deck of a
vessel.
(e) An extension of the deck of a vessel beyond the hull;
esp., in side-wheel steam vessels, the framework of
strong timbers, which curves out on each side beyond
the paddle wheel, and protects it and the shaft
against collision.
(f) A plate of metal, beneath the stock, or the lock
frame, of a gun or pistol, having a loop, called a
bow, to protect the trigger.
(g) (Bookbinding) An interleaved strip at the back, as in
a scrap book, to guard against its breaking when
filled.
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5. A posture of defense in fencing, and in bayonet and saber
exercise.
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6. An expression or admission intended to secure against
objections or censure.
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They have expressed themselves with as few guards
and restrictions as I. --Atterbury.
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7. Watch; heed; care; attention; as, to keep guard.
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8. (Zool.) The fibrous sheath which covers the phragmacone of
the Belemnites.
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Note: Guard is often used adjectively or in combination; as,
guard boat or guardboat; guardroom or guard room; guard
duty.
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Advanced guard, Coast guard, etc. See under Advanced,
Coast, etc.
Grand guard (Mil.), one of the posts of the second line
belonging to a system of advance posts of an army.
--Mahan.
Guard boat.
(a) A boat appointed to row the rounds among ships of war
in a harbor, to see that their officers keep a good
lookout.
(b) A boat used by harbor authorities to enforce the
observance of quarantine regulations.
Guard cells (Bot.), the bordering cells of stomates; they
are crescent-shaped and contain chlorophyll.
Guard chamber, a guardroom.
Guard detail (Mil.), men from a company regiment etc.,
detailed for guard duty.
Guard duty (Mil.), the duty of watching patrolling, etc.,
performed by a sentinel or sentinels.
Guard lock (Engin.), a tide lock at the mouth of a dock or
basin.
Guard of honor (Mil.), a guard appointed to receive or to
accompany eminent persons.
Guard rail (Railroads), a rail placed on the inside of a
main rail, on bridges, at switches, etc., as a safeguard
against derailment.
Guard ship, a war vessel appointed to superintend the
marine affairs in a harbor, and also, in the English
service, to receive seamen till they can be distributed
among their respective ships.
Life guard (Mil.), a body of select troops attending the
person of a prince or high officer.
Off one's guard, in a careless state; inattentive;
unsuspicious of danger.
On guard, serving in the capacity of a guard; doing duty as
a guard or sentinel; watching.
On one's guard, in a watchful state; alert; vigilant.
To mount guard (Mil.), to go on duty as a guard or
sentinel.
To run the guard, to pass the watch or sentinel without
leave.
Syn: Defense; shield; protection; safeguard; convoy; escort;
care; attention; watch; heed.
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Coast \Coast\ (k[=o]st), n. [OF. coste, F. c[^o]te, rib, hill,
shore, coast, L. costa rib, side. Cf. Accost, v. t.,
Cutlet.]
1. The side of a thing. [Obs.] --Sir I. Newton.
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2. The exterior line, limit, or border of a country; frontier
border. [Obs.]
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From the river, the river Euphrates, even to the
uttermost sea, shall your coast be. --Deut. xi.
24.
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3. The seashore, or land near it.
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He sees in English ships the Holland coast.
--Dryden.
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We the Arabian coast do know
At distance, when the species blow. --Waller.
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The coast is clear, the danger is over; no enemy in sight.
--Dryden. Fig.: There are no obstacles. "Seeing that the
coast was clear, Zelmane dismissed Musidorus." --Sir P.
Sidney.
Coast guard.
(a) A body of men originally employed along the coast to
prevent smuggling; now, under the control of the
admiralty, drilled as a naval reserve. [Eng.]
(b) The force employed in life-saving stations along the
seacoast. [U. S.]
Coast rat (Zool.), a South African mammal (Bathyergus
suillus), about the size of a rabbit, remarkable for its
extensive burrows; -- called also sand mole.
Coast waiter, a customhouse officer who superintends the
landing or shipping of goods for the coast trade. [Eng.]
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