1  definition  found 
 
  From  Webster's  Revised  Unabridged  Dictionary  (1913)  [web1913]: 
 
  Ward  \Ward\,  v.  t.  [imp.  &  p.  p.  {Warded};  p.  pr  &  vb  n. 
  {Warding}.]  [OE.  wardien,  AS  weardian  to  keep  protect;  akin 
  to  OS  ward?n  to  watch,  take  care  OFries  wardia,  OHG. 
  wart?n,  G.  warten  to  wait,  wait  on  attend  to  Icel.  var?a  to 
  guarantee  defend,  Sw  v[*a]rda  to  guard,  to  watch;  cf  OF 
  warder,  of  German  origin.  See  {Ward},  n.,  and  cf  {Award}, 
  {Guard},  {Reward}.] 
  1.  To  keep  in  safety;  to  watch;  to  guard;  formerly,  in  a 
  specific  sense  to  guard  during  the  day  time. 
 
  Whose  gates  he  found  fast  shut,  no  living  wight  To 
  ward  the  same  --Spenser. 
 
  2.  To  defend;  to  protect. 
 
  Tell  him  it  was  a  hand  that  warded  him  From  thousand 
  dangers.  --Shak. 
 
  3.  To  defend  by  walls,  fortifications,  etc  [Obs.] 
 
  4.  To  fend  off  to  repel;  to  turn  aside,  as  anything 
  mischievous  that  approaches;  --  usually  followed  by  off 
 
  Now  wards  a  felling  blow,  now  strikes  again 
  --Daniel. 
 
  The  pointed  javelin  warded  off  his  rage.  --Addison. 
 
  It  instructs  the  scholar  in  the  various  methods  of 
  warding  off  the  force  of  objections.  --I.  Watts. 

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