guaranty

& v. [GUARANTEE, 8. & v.] guard ( u silent), v . t . & i. [O. Fr. guarder , gar der , warder ; Fr. garder , from O. H. Ger. warten; M. H. Ger. warden to watch; cognate with Eng. ward (q. v.).] A. Transitive : 1. To secure the safety of against lo , damage, injury, or attack by watching; to watch over for purposes of defense or security; to defend, to protect. "I'll guard thee like a tender flower." Scott: Lady of the Lake, iv. 17. 2. To watch over, so as to keep in restraint; as, to guard one's tongue, to guard one's actions. [GUARDED.] 3. To provide or secure against objection or attack. "Homer has guarded every circumstance." -Broome: On Ody ey. *4. To protect or secure the edge or border of by trimming or binding; to edge, to trim, to deck out. ( Lit. & fig .) "A long motley coat, guarded with yellow." Shakesp.: Henry VIII ., Prol. 16. *5. To gird; to fasten by binding. 6. To protect; to arm against attack. "Our heart guarded with the breast-plate of righteousne ."-Barrow: Sermons, vol. ii., ser. 8. B. In trans.: To watch by way of caution or defense; to be wary, to be cautious, to take precautions; to be on one's guard, to take heed. (Followed by against .) "To guard against such mistakes it is nece ary to acquaint ourselves a little with words."-Watts. To guard one's self against : To be on one's guard; to take precautions; to make one's self secure by caution. "One would take care to guard one's self against this particular imperfection."- Add is on .