on guard
27
3.5
- idiom
:
alerta
- Beijing has to be on guard, however, against Taipei's unorthodox diplomacy.
- standing on guard
- always be on guard
- remain on guard
And how can we be on guard against this?
- And how can we be on guard against this?
- We need to be on guard against these more subtle tricks.
- Being able to respond to somebody without constantly being on guard would be dangerous.
- We have to be on guard against getting it wrong and mistranslating it.
- It's the first time in months that I feel like I can actually breathe and don't feel like I'm constantly on guard.
- And we weren't going there to walk around patrolling the streets to go on guard duty watching sandbagged bunkers or do routine patrols.
- And the gentleman outside it, it's almost like he was on guard doing noble work.
- But and then hyper vigilance is also like not normal to be always like on guard, you know, and I know what that feels like too.
- So leaving those aside, the point is that most your audience is sort of on guard vaccinated in a sense, right versus XI and Putin and Trump, right?
- And you know, the night was getting I was due on on guard at like half seven.
Examples
-
The rest of us were outside on guard duty.
-
Yes, there are many Americans who will be on guard forever because of 9/11.
Blog text (14) -
And how can we be on guard against this?
-
That is why we are always on guard for guests.
-
We need to be on guard against these more subtle tricks.
-
Gary Murray stands by the outside door, on guard, as students enter.
Fiction book (1992) -
This meant constantly being on guard against the desert tribes that preyed upon their herds and trade routes.
-
Sensitive to the precepts of conscience, Newman was on guard against unsettling other Christians in their faith.
Academic text (1990) -
The teacher advised the students to remain on guard for any unexpected questions during the exam.
-
After the recent break-ins, the residents are on guard and watching for any suspicious activity.
Synonyms
∞
1.0
Watching what you do to avoid mistakes or harm
210
2.9
Careful to avoid risk or mistakes
110
3.6
Careful because you do not trust someone or something
66
6.0
A person who keeps careful watch for danger or problems
37
3.2
Being careful and ready to notice danger or problems
6
4.4
Ready and alert to notice danger or problems
Alert and ready to deal with danger or problems
Ready and careful about possible danger or problems
You are ready and alert to act quickly
Antonyms
How Alert
66
6.0
37
3.2
27
3.5
47
3.4
∞
2.7
175
2.9
Surface Forms
Morphology
The meaning 'watchful and ready to deal with danger' is directly and compositionally derived from 'on' (in a state of) + 'guard' (to watch or protect), so a B1 learner who knows both words can infer the adjective sense. This is a common, cross-linguistically supported locative/state construction (cf. Spanish 'en guardia' / French 'en garde'), making the expression transparently understandable.
Etymology
On guard comes from the image of a guard standing at a post, watching for danger and ready to act. That's why to be on guard today means 'watchful and ready'.