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Glite Dictionary
changing of the guard

changing of the guard

4 4.4
A ceremony when uniformed guards change places and duties at a palace
  • noun
  • /ˈʧeɪndʒɪŋ əv ðə ɡɑrd/
translation icon : cambio de guardia
  • Tourists gather to watch the changing of the guard at Buckingham Palace every day.
  • watch the changing of the guard
  • witness the changing of the guard

So we've seen the changing of the guard in the White House.

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Examples

  • PHILADELPHIA (CBS) -- When Jim Calhoun retired as the head men's basketball coach at Connecticut earlier this year, there was a changing of the guard at the top of a pretty cool list.

    Blog text (16)

  • A changing of the guard at China's 18th Communist Party Congress is noteworthy, though unlikely to have short-term market influence unless it brings further corruption scandals to light in the wake of the leadership transition.

    Blog text (10)

  • I think people have to understand, it's the changing of the guard.

    Blog text (7)

  • It's time for some changing of the guard to best serve the needs of those who will be here for the next few.

    Blog text (24)

  • Are we finally seeing a changing of the guard in San Antonio?

    Blog text (30)

  • So we've seen the changing of the guard in the White House.

    Danny Jones

  • I just want to say every generation you have a changing of the guard in media, and that's a good thing.

  • Cindy can watch the changing of the guard.

    One, Two, Three (1961)

  • The retirement of Sir Michael, the longest-serving politician by far, marks a changing of the guard in PNG politics as the country celebrated its 42nd anniversary of independence.

    Academic text (2018)

  • We have experienced a changing of the guard, saying farewell to Dr. Kendall Starkweather, DTE, who led the association through three decades of change, and now through the support of Steve Barbato as he takes the helm to lead ITEEA into the future.

    Academic text (2013)

Surface Forms

changing of the guard singular
changing of the guards plural

Morphology

change + of + the + guard

The phrase literally denotes the act of 'changing' the 'guard'—that is, replacing one guard with another—so a B1 learner who knows 'change' and 'guard' can infer it refers to an event where guards are swapped. While it often refers to a formal/ceremonial ceremony, that pragmatic detail does not block straightforward compositional interpretation.

Etymology

Changing of the guard comes from the real scene when one group of uniformed guards walks away and another walks in to take over the duty at a post, often with music and a formal ceremony. So, it means an official handover of duty and is a symbol of the 'tradition' and 'continuity' of a place.