main guardn.
/ˈmeɪn ˌɡɑːd/, U.S. /ˈmeɪn ˌɡɑrd/ 1. Military. A body of troops constituting the chief guard, esp. a body of cavalry posted on the wings of a camp towards the enemy; a guard in a fortress taking custody of disturbers of the peace, etc.
ΘΚΠ
society > armed hostility > armed forces > the Army > group with special function or duty > [noun] > for guard duty > main or chief guard
sopraguard1591
main guard1639
society > armed hostility > armed forces > the Army > group with special function or duty > [noun] > for guard duty > guard with policing duties
picket1787
provost guard1864
main guard1876
1639 H. Hexham Forme of Quartering v. 16 in 2nd Part Princ. Art Militarie After the first nights worke..there are Corps de guard made, to putt a good number of Souldiers into, where they keepe their Maineguard.
1702 Mil. Dict. sig. D9v The Main Guard, in Garrison is that to which all less Guards are subordinate, the Commanding Officer keeping it with the greater number of Men. In the Field it is a considerable Body of Horse detach'd to the Head of the Camp, to secure the Army by keeping a watchful Eye upon all the Avenues that lead to it.
1797 Encycl. Brit. VIII. 170/2 Main Guard, is that from which all other guards are detached.
1876 G. E. Voyle & G. de Saint-Clair-Stevenson Mil. Dict. (ed. 3) (at cited word) Large forts or fortresses have a main guard chosen from the troops garrisoning them, under which guard all disturbers of the peace, drunkards, &c., are placed.
1991 G. Abbott Lords of Scaffold (BNC) 162 The band will play the ‘Dead March’..and will move to the flank of the rectangle, to allow the main guard to form a line five paces behind the firing squad.
2. Fortification. The keep of a castle; (also) the building within a fortress in which the main guard (sense 1) is lodged. Also figurative.
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society > armed hostility > defence > defensive work(s) > castle or fortified building > [noun] > keep
donjonc1330
dungeonc1330
keepa1586
reduit1604
main guard1645
redoubt1648
donjon keep1808
donjon tower1808
keep-tower1865
society > armed hostility > defence > action or duty of sentry or picket > [noun] > watch-post > guardroom
guard-chamber1611
guard-room1762
main guard1902
1645 Mercurius Civicus No. 135. 1179 The house have ordered that 30 li. be weekly paid unto the Officers of the Trained-bands that doe service at the main-guard thereof, there being neere 200 that doe constant duty.
1653 E. Waterhouse Humble Apol. Learning Pref. sig. A2 Nothing..is so great a security to the main-guard of Religion, as well to provide for her out-ports, & lines of learning.
1662 S. Pepys Diary 19 Dec. (1970) III. 286 With the Lieutenant's leave, set them to work in the garden in the corner against the Mayne-guard.
1690 London Gaz. No. 2544/2 They passed the Ditch, and made themselves Masters of the Main-guard.
1751 S. Whatley England's Gazetteer at Marlborough The keep or main-guard of the castle.
1886 Standing Orders, Southern District §12 Weather permitting, the 1st Post at Tattoo (in Portsmouth) will be sounded on the road opposite the Main Guard.
1902 Daily Chron. 3 Mar. 3/1 The hideous new main-guard which has been built close to the White Tower.
This entry has been updated (OED Third Edition, June 2000; most recently modified version published online March 2022).
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