safeguard
Etymology

From Middle English savegard, from Middle French sauvegarde, from Old French - salve garde, sauve garde, reconstructed as safe + guard.

Pronunciation
  • IPA: /ˈseɪfɡɑː(ɹ)d/
Noun

safeguard (plural safeguards)

  1. Something that serves as a guard or protection; a defense.
    Getting a flu shot is a good safeguard against illness.
  2. One who, or that which, defends or protects; defence; protection.
    • 1726, George Granville, To the King, in the First Year of His Majesty's Reign:
      Thy sword, the safeguard of thy brother's throne.
  3. A safe-conduct or passport, especially in time of war.
    • c. 1608–1609 (date written), William Shakespeare, “The Tragedy of Coriolanus”, in Mr. William Shakespeares Comedies, Histories, & Tragedies […] (First Folio), London: […] Isaac Iaggard, and Ed[ward] Blount, published 1623, →OCLC ↗, [Act III, scene ii]:
      the inheritance of their loves and safeguard
  4. (obsolete) The monitor lizard.
    • 1844, The Animal Kingdom:
      The same idea is entertained of the Safeguard in America, as of the Monitor in Africa, and other parts of the Old World, […]
Translations Translations Verb

safeguard (safeguards, present participle safeguarding; simple past and past participle safeguarded)

  1. To protect, to keep safe.
    She kept a savings to safeguard against debt and emergencies.
  2. (UK, Ireland, by extension) To implement safeguarding.
  3. To escort safely.
Translations


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