guarding
/ɡɑːd/ (bre, ipa) · [ɡˈɑrdɪŋ] /ɡɑːrd/ (ame, ipa) · [ɡˈɑrdɪŋ] /ˈgärd How to pronounce guard (audio)/ (ame, mw)
guarding — verb
- guardingpresent simple I / you / we / they
- guardings3rd person singular
- guardinging-ing form
- guardingedpast simple
1. to stay with a person, place, or thing and keep it safe from harm, attack, or th
to stay with a person, place, or thing and keep it safe from harm, attack, or theft.
Two nurses were guarding the emergency room door after the fight.
guarding + place to keep it safe
Eve spent the night guarding her bicycle outside the crowded station.
Selim kept guarding the cash room while the bank was closing.
Ramon kept guarding the young trees from rabbits in the field.
- protect
the broadest near-synonym and often less focused on physical watch
- watch over
emphasizes careful attention more than defense
- defend
stronger and more focused on fighting back against an attack
文法句型
guard + person/place/thing
guard + against + danger/attack
用法筆記
This sense usually implies active protection, not simply looking at something from a distance. It often appears with places, entrances, money, children, or other things that could be harmed or stolen.
2. to watch a person closely so they cannot get away from a place.
to watch a person closely so they cannot get away from a place.
Two officers were guarding the suspect outside the interview room.
guard + suspect to stop escape
Anjali spent the afternoon guarding the museum thief at the hospital.
The soldier stood by the gate, guarding the captured pilot.
Xiu was guarding the drunk fan until his parents arrived.
文法句型
guard + prisoner/suspect/patient
guard + person + at/in + place
用法筆記
Unlike sense 1, the main aim here is to stop a person from leaving rather than to protect a place or object. The guarded person is often a suspect, prisoner, patient, or drunk person who needs supervision.
3. to stop private information from becoming known to other people.
to stop private information from becoming known to other people.
Eitan kept guarding the surprise until his sister opened the box.
guarding a secret until the right moment
The company is guarding customer data after the online attack.
Asher went on guarding the plan even from his closest friend.
The team was guarding the new recipe before the shop launch.
文法句型
guard + secret/information/plan
guard + from + other people
用法筆記
This sense is often used with secrets, plans, data, or other private information. It focuses on preventing disclosure, not on guarding a physical person or place.
4. in games like basketball or American football, to stay close to an opposing play
in games like basketball or American football, to stay close to an opposing player so they cannot get the ball or score easily.
Quan kept guarding the fastest forward throughout the second half.
guard + opposing player in a game
The coach moved Mark because he was guarding their top scorer too loosely.
guarding too loosely in defense
Eshe was guarding the center when the rebound bounced free.
The referee warned Christopher for holding the runner he was guarding.
- leave open
fail to stay close enough to defend the player
文法句型
guard + player
guard + scorer/forward/center
用法筆記
This sports sense is about defending a specific opponent, not about protecting a place or keeping a secret. It is especially common in basketball and in descriptions of pass coverage in American football.
guarding — noun
1. the work or responsibility of protecting a place or person, or watching someone
the work or responsibility of protecting a place or person, or watching someone so they cannot escape.
The embassy increased its guarding after the bomb threat.
increase + guarding for tighter security
Night guarding of the warehouse was handed to a private firm.
guarding of + place
Guarding of the prisoners continued even during the storm.
Airport guarding became tighter after the stolen bag was found.
- protection
broader and not always focused on active watch
- security
often refers to the whole system rather than the duty itself
- surveillance
focuses more on monitoring than on physically stopping escape
文法句型
guarding of + place/person
increase/tighten + guarding
用法筆記
This noun names the duty or activity itself. It is more common in formal descriptions of security, prison work, or official protection than in casual speech.