Guard vs. Defend — What's the Difference?

Watch over in order to protect or control

To make or keep safe from danger, attack, or harm

Protect against damage or harm

To engage in or be prepared to engage in battle to prevent (a population or area, for example) from being captured or occupied by an enemy.

A person who keeps watch, especially a soldier or other person assigned to protect a person or to control access to a place

To attempt to prevent the opposition from scoring while playing in or near (a goal or area of a field, for example).

A device worn or fitted to prevent injury or damage

To be responsible for guarding (an opposing player).

A defensive posture that is adopted in a boxing or martial arts contest or in a fight

To compete against a challenger in an attempt to retain (a championship).

An official who rides on and is in general charge of a train.

To support or maintain, as by argument or action; justify

Each of two players either side of the centre.

To represent (a defendant) in a civil or criminal action.

To watch over (a place or person, for example) in order to keep from being damaged, robbed, or injured

To attempt to disprove or invalidate (the claim made by a lawsuit or prosecution)

To supervise the entry and exit through; keep watch at

To make a defense.

To watch over so as to prevent escape or violence

(Sports) To play defense.

To keep from risk or curtailment; ensure the safety or integrity of

(transitive) To ward off attacks against; to fight to protect; to guard.

(Sports) To keep (an opposing player) from scoring or playing effectively, usually by remaining close to the player to disrupt offensive play.

(transitive) To support by words or writing; to vindicate, talk in favour of.

To maintain control over, as to prevent indiscretion

To make legal defence of; to represent (the accused).

To furnish (a device or object) with a part that protects people from harm or injury.

(sports) To focus one's energies and talents on preventing opponents from scoring, as opposed to focusing on scoring.

(Archaic) To escort as a guard.

(sports) To attempt to retain a title, or attempt to reach the same stage in a competition as one did in the previous edition of that competition.

To take precautions

(poker slang) To call a raise from the big blind.

To serve as a guard.

To ward off, repel (an attack or attacker).

A person who protects, keeps watch, or acts as a sentinel

To prevent, to keep (from doing something).

The act or duty of guarding.

To prohibit, forbid.

Protection; watch

To ward or fend off; to drive back or away; to repel.

Something that gives protection; a safeguard

To prohibit; to forbid.

An attachment or covering put on a machine to protect the operator or a part of the machine.

To repel danger or harm from; to protect; to secure against attack; to maintain against force or argument; to uphold; to guard; as, to defend a town; to defend a cause; to defend character; to defend the absent; - sometimes followed by from or against; as, to defend one's self from, or against, one's enemies.

A device on a foil, sword, or knife that protects the hand.

To deny the right of the plaintiff in regard to (the suit, or the wrong charged); to oppose or resist, as a claim at law; to contest, as a suit.

A padded covering worn to protect a body part from injury

Argue or speak in defense of;

A small chain or band attached to a watch or bracelet to prevent loss.

Be on the defensive; act against an attack

A ring worn to prevent a more valuable ring from sliding off the finger.

Protect against a challenge or attack;

An honor guard.

Fight against or resist strongly;

Chiefly British A railway employee in charge of a train.

Protect or fight for as a champion

(Football) One of the two offensive linemen on either side of the center.

Be the defense counsel for someone in a trial;

(Basketball) Either of the two players normally positioned in the backcourt who are responsible for bringing the ball to and initiating offensive plays from the frontcourt.

State or assert;

(Sports) A defensive position or stance, as in boxing or fencing.

(Electronics) A signal that prevents accidental activation of a device or ambiguous interpretation of data.

A person who, or thing that, protects or watches over something.

(Ireland) A garda; a police officer.

(military) A squad responsible for protecting something.

The part of a sword that protects the wielder's hand.

A part of a machine which blocks access to dangerous parts.

A watchchain.

(Australia) A panel of a car that encloses the wheel area, especially the front wheels.

(uncountable) A state of caution; posture of defence.

Something worn to protect part of the body, e.g. the shins in cricket.

(basketball) A relatively short player, playing farther from the basket than a forward or centre.

(cricket) The position on the popping crease where a batsman makes a mark to align himself with the wicket; see take guard.

(American football) Either of two offensive positions between the centre and each of the offensive tackles, whose main responsibilities are to protect the quarterback, and open up "holes" through which offensive players can run.

(martial arts) A ground grappling position in which one combatant has their back to the ground while attempting to control the other combatant using their legs.

(sports) A player playing a position named guard.

(rail) An employee, normally travelling in the last vehicle of a train, responsible for the safety of the train.

A Boolean expression that must evaluate to true for a branch of program execution to continue.

(aviation) The aircraft emergency frequency, a radio frequency reserved for emergency communications, typically 121.5MHz for civilian use.

To protect from danger; to secure against surprise, attack, or injury; to keep in safety; to defend.

To keep watch over, in order to prevent escape or restrain from acts of violence, or the like.

To watch by way of caution or defense; to be caution; to be in a state or position of defense or safety.

To protect the edge of, especially with an ornamental border; hence, to face or ornament with lists, laces, etc.

To fasten by binding; to gird.

To protect from danger; to secure against surprise, attack, or injury; to keep in safety; to defend; to shelter; to shield from surprise or attack; to protect by attendance; to accompany for protection; to care for.

To keep watch over, in order to prevent escape or restrain from acts of violence, or the like.

To protect the edge of, esp. with an ornamental border; hence, to face or ornament with lists, laces, etc.

To fasten by binding; to gird.

To watch by way of caution or defense; to be cautious; to be in a state or position of defense or safety; as, careful persons guard against mistakes.

One who, or that which, guards from injury, danger, exposure, or attack; defense; protection.

A man, or body of men, stationed to protect or control a person or position; a watch; a sentinel.

One who has charge of a mail coach or a railway train; a conductor.

Any fixture or attachment designed to protect or secure against injury, soiling, or defacement, theft or loss

A posture of defense in fencing, and in bayonet and saber exercise.

An expression or admission intended to secure against objections or censure.

Watch; heed; care; attention; as, to keep guard.

The fibrous sheath which covers the phragmacone of the Belemnites.

A person who keeps watch over something or someone

The person who plays that position on a football team;

A device designed to prevent injury

A posture of defence in boxing or fencing;

The person who plays the position of guard on a basketball team

A group of men who escort and protect some important person

A precautionary measure warding off impending danger or damage or injury etc.;

The duty of serving as a sentry;

A position on the line of scrimmage;

A position on a basketball team

To keep watch over;

Watch over or shield from danger or harm; protect;

Protect against a challenge or attack;

Take precautions in order to avoid some unwanted consequence;