Source : Webster's Revised Unabridged Dictionary (1913)
{Life buoy}. See {Buoy}.
{Life car}, a water-tight boat or box, traveling on a line
from a wrecked vessel to the shore. In it persons are
hauled through the waves and surf.
{Life drop}, a drop of vital blood. --Byron.
{Life estate} (Law), an estate which is held during the term
of some certain person's life, but does not pass by
inheritance.
{Life everlasting} (Bot.), a plant with white or yellow
persistent scales about the heads of the flowers, as
{Antennaria}, and {Gnaphalium}; cudweed.
{Life of an execution} (Law), the period when an execution is
in force, or before it expires.
{Life guard}. (Mil.) See under {Guard}.
{Life insurance}, the act or system of insuring against
death; a contract by which the insurer undertakes, in
consideration of the payment of a premium (usually at
stated periods), to pay a stipulated sum in the event of
the death of the insured or of a third person in whose
life the insured has an interest.
{Life interest}, an estate or interest which lasts during
one's life, or the life of another person, but does not
pass by inheritance.
{Life land} (Law), land held by lease for the term of a life
or lives.
{Life line}.
(a) (Naut.) A line along any part of a vessel for the
security of sailors.
(b) A line attached to a life boat, or to any life saving
apparatus, to be grasped by a person in the water.
{Life rate}, the rate of premium for insuring a life.
{Life rent}, the rent of a life estate; rent or property to
which one is entitled during one's life.
{Life school}, a school for artists in which they model,
paint, or draw from living models.
{Life table}, a table showing the probability of life at
different ages.
{To lose one's life}, to die.
{To seek the life of}, to seek to kill.
{To the life}, so as closely to resemble the living person or
the subject; as, the portrait was drawn to the life.
Guard \Guard\, n. [OF. guarde, F. garde; of German origin; cf.
OHG. wart, marto, one who watches, mata a watching, Goth.
wardja watchman. See {Guard}, v. t.]
1. One who, or that which, guards from injury, danger,
exposure, or attack; defense; protection.
His greatness was no guard to bar heaven's shaft.
--Shak.
2. A man, or body of men, stationed to protect or control a
person or position; a watch; a sentinel.
The guard which kept the door of the king's house.
--Kings xiv.
27.
3. One who has charge of a mail coach or a railway train; a
conductor. [Eng.]
4. Any fixture or attachment designed to protect or secure
against injury, soiling, or defacement, theft or loss; as:
(a) That part of a sword hilt which protects the hand.
(b) Ornamental lace or hem protecting the edge of a
garment.
(c) A chain or cord for fastening a watch to one's person
or dress.
(d) A fence or rail to prevent falling from the deck of a
vessel.
(e) An extension of the deck of a vessel beyond the hull;
esp., in side-wheel steam vessels, the framework of
strong timbers, which curves out on each side beyond
the paddle wheel, and protects it and the shaft
against collision.
(f) A plate of metal, beneath the stock, or the lock
frame, of a gun or pistol, having a loop, called a
bow, to protect the trigger.
(g) (Bookbinding) An interleaved strip at the back, as in
a scrap book, to guard against its breaking when
filled.
5. A posture of defense in fencing, and in bayonet and saber
exercise.
6. An expression or admission intended to secure against
objections or censure.
They have expressed themselves with as few guards
and restrictions as I. --Atterbury.
7. Watch; heed; care; attention; as, to keep guard.
8. (Zo["o]l.) The fibrous sheath which covers the phragmacone
of the Belemnites.
Note: Guard is often used adjectively or in combination; as,
guard boat or guardboat; guardroom or guard room; guard
duty.
{Advanced guard}, {Coast guard}, etc. See under {Advanced},
{Coast}, etc.
{Grand guard} (Mil.), one of the posts of the second line
belonging to a system of advance posts of an army.
--Mahan.
{Guard boat}.
(a) A boat appointed to row the rounds among ships of war
in a harbor, to see that their officers keep a good
lookout.
(b) A boat used by harbor authorities to enforce the
observance of quarantine regulations.
{Guard cells} (Bot.), the bordering cells of stomates; they
are crescent-shaped and contain chlorophyll.
{Guard chamber}, a guardroom.
{Guard detail} (Mil.), men from a company regiment etc.,
detailed for guard duty.
{Guard duty} (Mil.), the duty of watching patrolling, etc.,
performed by a sentinel or sentinels.
{Guard lock} (Engin.), a tide lock at the mouth of a dock or
basin.
{Guard of honor} (Mil.), a guard appointed to receive or to
accompany eminent persons.
{Guard rail} (Railroads), a rail placed on the inside of a
main rail, on bridges, at switches, etc., as a safeguard
against derailment.
{Guard ship}, a war vessel appointed to superintend the
marine affairs in a harbor, and also, in the English
service, to receive seamen till they can be distributed
among their respective ships.
{Life guard} (Mil.), a body of select troops attending the
person of a prince or high officer.
{Off one's guard}, in a careless state; inattentive;
unsuspicious of danger.
{On guard}, serving in the capacity of a guard; doing duty as
a guard or sentinel; watching.
{On one's guard}, in a watchful state; alert; vigilant.
{To mount guard} (Mil.), to go on duty as a guard or
sentinel.
{To run the guard}, to pass the watch or sentinel without
leave.
Syn: Defense; shield; protection; safeguard; convoy; escort;
care; attention; watch; heed.