Emily Dickinson Lexicon

GUARD, v.t. [gàrd; Fr. garder; Sp. and Port. guardar; It. guardare, to keep, preserve, defend; also, to look, to behold; Basque, gordi; W. gwara, to fend, or guard, to fence, to play. The primary sense is to strike, strike back, repel, beat down, or to turn back or stop; hence, to keep or defend, as by repelling assault or danger. The sense of seeing, looking, is secondary, from the sense of guarding, and we retain a similar application of the root of this word in beware; or it is from the sense of reaching, or casting the eye, or from turning the head. This is the English to ward. In W. gwar is secure, mild, placid, that is, set, fixed, held. It seems to be allied to G. wahr, true, L. verus; währen, to keep, to last, to hold out; bewahren, to keep or preserve; bewähren, to verify, to confirm; D. waar, true; waaren, to keep, preserve, indemnify; waarande, a warren, and guaranty; waarison, a garrison; Dan. vaer, wary, vigilant, watching; Eng. ware, aware; Dan. værger, to guard, defend, maintain; vare, a guard, or watch, wares, merchandise; varer, to keep, last, endure; Sw. vara, to watch, and to be, to exist; Dan. værer, to be; Sax. warian, werian, to guard, to defend, to be wary. The sense of existing implies extension or continuance. See Regard and Reward.]

1. To secure against injury, loss or attack; to protect; to defend; to keep in safety. We guard a city by walls and forts. A harbor is guarded by ships, booms or batteries. Innocence should be guarded by prudence and piety. Let observation and experience guard us against temptations to vice.
2. To secure against objections or the attacks of malevolence. Homer has guarded every circumstance with caution. Broome.
3. To accompany and protect; to accompany for protection; as, to guard a general on a journey; to guard the baggage of an army.
4. To adorn with lists, laces or ornaments. [Obs.] Shak.
5. To gird; to fasten by binding. B. Jonson.