lifeguard

noun
/ˈlaɪfˌɡɑɹd/US

Etymology

From life + guard, calque of Dutch lijfgarde, where life has the sense of Dutch lijf (“body”) (hence literally “bodyguard”). Compare German Leibgarde (“bodyguard”), Danish livgarde (“bodyguard”), Swedish livgarde (“bodyguard”). Compare also Old English līfweard (“guardian of life”).

  1. derived from *wardāną — “to guard, protect
  2. derived from *wardēn
  3. derived from wardo
  4. derived from garder
  5. formed as lifeguard — “life + guard

Definitions

  1. A lifesaver

    A lifesaver: a rescuer, usually an expert swimmer, employed to save swimmers in trouble or near drowning at a body of water.

    • It's also generally wise to recruit lifeguards to ensure visitor safety, as bathers can panic in the water and require assistance.
  2. A bodyguard or unit of bodyguards, a guard of someone's (especially a king's) life or…

    A bodyguard or unit of bodyguards, a guard of someone's (especially a king's) life or person.

    • "The people's love is the king's lifeguard."
    • [I]n the reserve were the king's lifeguard, commanded by the earl of Lindsey, and prince Rupert's regiment of foot[.]
    • Constantine the Great is known to have raised the five scholae of horsemen who formed the actual lifeguard of the prince, and followed his person whenever he went out to war.
  3. A sturdy metal bracket fixed in front of each of the leading wheels of a train to deflect…

    A sturdy metal bracket fixed in front of each of the leading wheels of a train to deflect small objects away from the wheels to prevent derailment.

    • It also looked at what effect stronger lifeguards might have had. They protect the leading wheels from small obstacles and in modern trains have coped with hitting landslip debris.

The neighborhood

Vish — recursive loop

No curated loop yet for lifeguard. Loops are being traced one word at a time while the ingestion pipeline matures.

sense glosses and etymology drawn from English Wiktionary · source · CC-BY-SA