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at the gate, to prevent anyone getting in or out. | The police are keeping guard over the house. | The soldiers stood/mounted guard over (=guarded) the palace. | The Rock of Gibraltar stands guard over the entrance to the Mediterranean. 4 [C] [(often in comb.)] an apparatus which covers and protects: Football players often wear shin guards. (=to protect the lower part of their legs) -> see also FIREGUARD, MUDGUARD 5 [C] BrE || conductor AmE — a railway official in charge of a train 6 [U] a position of being ready to defend oneself or protect oneself from danger, especially in a fight: I got in under my opponent's guard. (=hit him although he was defending himself) | Be on your guard against pickpockets. | The question caught her off (her) guard and she couldn't think of an answer. 7 [C] a player in BASKETBALL. Each team has two guards, who attack and defend in the central area of the court. 8 [C] a position or player in American FOOTBALL. Each team has two guards and they play on either side of the CENTER.
guard² v [T] 1 [(against, from)] to watch over in order to protect from harm or danger or to prevent from escaping; keep safe: The dog guarded the house (against intruders). | the heavily-guarded presidential palace | (fig.) Guard the secret with your life: tell it to no one! 2 to keep under control: You must guard your tongue carefully. (=be careful what you say)
guard against sth. phr v [T] to (try to) prevent by special care: Brush your teeth regularly to guard against tooth decay. | [+v-ing] You should wash your hands when preparing food, to guard against spreading infection.
guard·ed /'ga:dʒd||'gɑ:r-/ adj (of a person or what they say) careful; not saying too much; NONCOMMITTAL: He gave a guarded reply. -> -ly adv
guard·house /'ga:dhaus||'gɑ:r-/ n pl. -houses /- hauzɪz/ [C usually sing.] a building for military guards, especially at the entrance to a camp, sometimes also used for imprisonment of soldiers
guard·i·an /'ga:dɪən||'gɑ:r-/ n 1 [(of)] especially fml or lit someone who guards or protects: It is not this newspaper's job to be guardian of the nation's morals. 2 law someone who has the responsibility of looking after a child that is not their own, especially after the parents' death. The guardian is usually a member or close friend of the child's family. -> compare WARD¹
Guardian, The a serious British daily newspaper known for its LEFT-WING opinions -> see also GUARDIAN READER
guardian 'angel n 1 a good spirit which protects a person or place. It is especially children who believe in guardian angels. 2 a person who helps and protects another person
Guardian 'Angels an organization whose members try to protect people from being attacked or robbed, especially when they are travelling on underground railways in big cities. The first group was started in New York City, and there are groups in London. The members are known for wearing red BERETS (=flat cloth hats) and for doing their work without being paid.
'Guardian ,reader n BrE someone who is MIDDLE CLASS and well educated, and who has LEFT-WING political opinions and is thought to be the sort of person who reads the British newspaper The GUARDIAN -> compare SUN READER
guard·i·an·ship /'ga:dɪənʃɪp||'gɑ:r-/ n [U] the position of, responsibility of, or period of time as a (legal) guardian
guard·rail /'ga:d-reɪl||'gɑ:rd-/ n 1 a protective bar or RAIL intended a) to prevent people from falling from a bridge or stairs or b) especially AmE to prevent drivers from going off the road 2 an additional railway line, fitted on curves to prevent the train running off the lines
guard·room /'ga:d-rʊm, -ru:m||'gɑ:rd-/ n a (room of a) GUARDHOUSE
Guards, the /ga:dz||gɑ:rdz/ a group of REGIMENTS (=large groups of soldiers) in the British army, originally those who guarded the king or queen. For young UPPER-CLASS men in the UK, being an officer in the Guards is regarded as a good job. -> see also COLDSTREAM GUARDS, GRENADIER, IRISH GUARDS
guards·man /'ga:dzmən||'gɑ:r-/ n pl. -men /-mən/ (especially in Britain) a soldier in the Guards
'guard's van BrE || caboose AmE — n the part of a train, usually at the back, where the GUARD travels. Bicycles, pets, and large boxes, cases etc can also travel here.
Gua·te·ma·la /gwɑ:tə'mɑ:lə/ a country in Central America, between the Pacific and Atlantic Oceans. Population: 13,909,384 (2003). Capital: Guatemala City. The people who originally lived in Guatemala were the MAYA, and buildings and other objects from their CIVILIZATION can still be seen there. —Guatemalan n, adj
gua·va /'gwɑ:və/ n a small tropical tree bearing) a round fruit with pink or white flesh and seeds in the centre
gu·ber·na·to·ri·al /gu:bənə'tɔ:riəl||-bɔ:r-/ adj fml or tech of a governor: the gubernatorial elections in the US
Guc·ci /'gu:tʃɪ/ trademark an Italian company that makes expensive fashionable clothes, known especially for its leather products: a Gucci handbag
Guer·ni·ca /gɜ:nɪkə||'gwer-/ a town in the Basque area of northern Spain, which was destroyed by bombs dropped by German aircraft in 1937, during the Spanish CIVIL WAR. It is known especially for the picture called 'Guernica' painted by Pablo PICASSO, which shows the destruction of the town.
Guern·sey /'gɜ:nzɪl||'gɜ:rn-/ an island in the English Channel near northwest France. Guernsey is one of the Channel Islands. It is popular for holidays and known as a place where people pay very little tax.
guer·ril·la, guerilla /gə'rɪlə/ n a member of an unofficial military group, especially one fighting to remove a government, which attacks its enemy in small groups unexpectedly: guerrilla warfare/guerrilla tactics -> compare FREEDOM FIGHTER, TERRORIST
guess¹ /ges/ v 1 [I(at);T] to form a judgment (about) or risk giving an opinion (on) without knowing or considering all the facts: 'I don't know the answer.' 'Well just guess!' | Can you guess (at) the price? | [+(that)] I guessed I'd find you in here! | [+wh-] You'll never guess how much/what it cost. | [+obj+to-v] I'd guess it to be about £300. 2 [T] to get to know by guessing: She guessed my thoughts. | 'I suppose he's late again.' 'You've guessed it!' 3 [T+(that); not in progressive forms] infml, especially AmE to suppose; consider likely: I guess you don't have time to go out now that you have young children. | 'Will you be coming tomorrow?' 'I guess so.' 4 keep someone guessing to keep someone uninformed and uncertain what will happen next -> see also EDUCATED GUESS, SECOND-GUESS
guess² n 1 [((at))] an attempt to guess: Have (BrE)/Take (AmE) a guess at the answer. | She made a wild guess, but it was completely wrong. | I'd say that at a guess (=without being certain or exact) there were about 500 people there. 2 an opinion formed by guessing: My guess is that he didn't come because his parents wouldn't let him. | It's anybody's guess (=no one knows) when they'll arrive. | 'Where do you think she's gone?' 'I don't know - your guess is as good as mine.' 3 (I'll give you) three guesses also I'll give you three guesses and the first two don't count spoken said when you think the answer to something is very easy to guess: I rang Tom up and said Chelsea have just signed a new striker - I'll give you three guesses who it is. | 'I know how we can check it's really him - he's got a birthmark.' 'Whereabouts?' 'I'll give you three guesses.'
guess·ti·mate /'gestɪmət/ n infml an inexact judgment, especially of quantity, made by guessing; a guessed ESTIMATE
,Guess Who's ,Coming to 'Dinner? (1967) a US film about a white girl who invites her black boyfriend home to meet her parents. It was one of the first US films to deal with the subject of RACISM.
guess·work /'geswɜ:k||-wɜ:rk/ n [U] the act of guessing, or the judgment which results: She arrived at the right answer by pure guesswork.
guest¹ /gest/ n 1 a person who is in someone's home by invitation, either for a short time or to stay: a dinner guest | I have to give up my bedroom when we have guests. -> compare HOST¹ 2 a person who is invited out and paid for at a theatre, restaurant etc: They are coming to the concert as my guests. 3 a person who is lodging in a hotel or in someone's home: Guests are requested not to remove the coathangers. | She takes in paying guests during the summer. 4 a person, especially an entertainer, who is invited to take part in a show, concert etc, often in addition to those who usually take part: Ladies and gentlemen, please welcome