Synonyms

stand guard

Idioms

Watch over, act as a lookout, as in We'll climb the tree and get the apples if Josh will stand guard, or There's a parking space; stand guard while I make a U-turn and get to it. This term alludes to the military defense of posting guards to watch for the enemy.

Example Sentences

Examples are provided to illustrate real-world usage of words in context. Any opinions expressed do not reflect the views of Dictionary.com.

Uniformed officers stood guard around the property as the search continued throughout the day.

From BBC

Funeral prayers took place amid tightened security, with soldiers standing guard and police checkpoints set up in key areas.

From BBC

Three giant horse chestnut trees, each over 80 feet tall, stand guard in front of my house.

From The Wall Street Journal

A military sentry stands guard at the gate.

From Literature

People are taking each other’s kids to school, organizing shifts for people to stand guard and protect immigrants in their neighborhoods.

From Salon

Definitions and idiom definitions from Dictionary.com Unabridged, based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2023