wards

Noun (1)

ward (plural wards)

1. (archaic, obsolete) A warden; a guard; a guardian or watchman.
   • th'aſſieged Caſtles ward
     Their ſtedfaſt ſtonds did mightily maintaine1590, Edmund Spenser, “Book II, Canto IX”, in The Faerie Queene. […], London: […] [John Wolfe] for William Ponsonbie, →OCLC, stanza 15

Noun (2)

ward (countable and uncountable, plural wards)

1. The action of a watchman; monitoring, surveillance (usually in phrases keep ward etc.)
   • Before the dore ſat ſelfe-conſuming Care,
     Day and night keeping wary watch and ward,
     For feare leaſt Force or Fraud ſhould vnaware
     Breake in[…]1590, Edmund Spenser, “Book II, Canto VII”, in The Faerie Queene. […], London: […] [John Wolfe] for William Ponsonbie, →OCLC
2. Guardianship, especially of a child or prisoner.
   • So forth the presoners were brought before Arthure, and he commaunded hem into kepyng of the conestabyls warde, surely to be kepte as noble presoners.1485, Sir Thomas Malory, Le Morte d'Arthur, Book V
3. An enchantment or spell placed over a designated area or social unit, that prevents any tresspasser from entering; approaching; or even being able to locate said protected premises or demographic.
4. A guarding or defensive motion or position.
   • Thou knowest my old ward; here I lay, and thus I bore my point.c. 1597 (date written), William Shakespeare, “The First Part of Henry the Fourth, […]”, in Mr. William Shakespeares Comedies, Histories, & Tragedies […] (First Folio), London: […] Isaac Iaggard, and...
5. (historical, Scots law) Land tenure through military service.

See all 39 meanings of ward