safe-guard, n.
(ˈseɪfgɑːd)
For forms see safe a. and guard n. See also saggar, seggard.
[ME. savegarde (sauf-, safe-, etc.), a. F. sauvegarde (13th c. in Hatz.-Darm.), f. sauve fem. of sauf safe + garde guard n. Cf. It., Sp. salvaguardia, Pg. salvaguarda, med.L. salvagardia.]
1. Protection, safety. Now rare or Obs. (see b).
| 1421 Rolls of Parlt. IV. 159/2 The pore Soudeors..have truly served the sauf garde of the forsaid Town. c 1470 Henry Wallace iv. 652 Saiffgarde he gat wndir a bowand tre. 1513 More Rich. III (1641) 450 King Richard, as the fame went, might have escaped and gotten safegard by flying. a 1548 Hall Chron., Hen. IV 8 b, Besechyng the Duke to grant to him the safegarde of his lyfe. 1555 Eden Decades 6 To the which they flye for safegarde if any man resorte vnto them. 1572 Reg. Privy Council Scot. Ser. i. II. 132 That na men..tak upoun thame the saulfgaird and protectioun of ony knawin inymeis or convoy..to thame..ony gudis. 1598 R. Barckley Felic. Man ii. (1603) 89 Preferring the savegard of his people before his owne life. 1632 Lithgow Trav. iii. 83 A place of safeguard, called commonly the Monastery of refuge. 1634 Sir T. Herbert Trav. 200 The women [of Sumatra] are for courage, Amazonian, and of such account with their tyrannique Lords, that the safeguard of their bodies are committed sometimes to their care. 1736 Ainsworth Lat. Dict. s.v. Attribute, He attributeth to me the safe guard of the whole empire. |
b. for (the) safeguard of (now arch.), † to (the) safeguard of, † in safeguard of: for the defence or protection of, in order to the safety of. Formerly freq. in phr. for safeguard of one's life.
| [1347 Rolls of Parlt. II. 194/1 Pur salve garde de la pees.] 1433 Ibid. IV. 445/1 To walle,..and fortefie, youre seid Towne and Havyn, sufficiently..for the saufgarde of alle Marchaundises and other Goodes thedir comynge. 1440 in Slew Hist. Walsall (1856) 107 For the more suertye and saufgard of the tresour and euydence of that Gylde. 1467 in Eng. Gilds (1870) 398 For savegarde of the kynges cite. c 1500 Melusine 17 And there the lady Pressyne stablysshed a strong geaunt to the sauegarde of the tresoure. 1519 Mem. Ripon (Surtees) I. 315 For savegard of my lyf and for savegard of my body. 1536 in W. H. Turner Select. Rec. Oxford (1880) 139 For safeguard of his life he was fayne to leape from ye bridge. 1538 Bale Thre Lawes 2039 To sauegarde of the iust & synners ponnyshment. 1571–2 in Swayne Sarum Churchw. Acc. (1896) 285 Boxes for the belles ropes to run in for savegard of the ropes. 1585 T. Washington tr. Nicholay's Voy. ii. x. 43 b, The streit of Hellespont, for the safegard wherof there are 2. strong castles. 1594 Shakes. Rich. III, v. iii. 259 If you do fight in safegard of your wiues. 1620 J. Wilkinson Coroners & Sherifes 13 A. flyeth as much as he can for safeguard of his life. a 1625 Sir H. Finch Law (1636) 39 To rase ones house on fire, in safegard of the neighbours houses. 1669 Mrs. Alice Thornton Autobiog. (Surtees) 18 But the king, being constrained for the saveguard of his owne life, passed that fatall bill. 1727 C. Threlkeld Stirpes Hibernicæ Pref. 23 He was for the Safeguard of his Life compelled in his Age, to fly into High Germany. 1848 Arnould Mar. Insur. i. viii. I. 197 [Form of policy], To make every exertion in their power ‘for the defence, safeguard, and recovery’ of the property. |
† c. in safeguard, in safety or security. Obs.
| c 1440 Brut (E.E.T.S.) 468 Forto kepe the towne in sauf⁓garde from oure enemys. 1472–3 Rolls of Parlt. VI. 5/2 The seid sommes of money..to be put in sauf gard. 1553 Eden Treat. Newe Ind. (Arb.) 30 Fortresses where his men might lye in safegarde. 1611 Bible 1 Sam. xxii. 23 With me thou shalt bee in safegard. 1642 J. M[arsh] Argt. conc. Militia 4 The King ought to provide that his Subjects have their passage throughout the Realme by all high wayes in safeguard. |
† d. Custody or safe-keeping. Obs.
| 1528 Roy Rede me (Arb.) 112 They put men in soche savegarde That with in a whyle afterwarde They be sure to go no forther. 1817 Sir F. Burdett in Parl. Debates 1693 The safeguard of the prisoners had originally belonged to the sheriff. |
2. Protection or security afforded by a specified person (or thing). Phr. in or under (the) safe-guard of. Now rare or Obs.
| 1456 Sir G. Haye Law Arms (S.T.S.) 238 Thay ar all in the protectioun and salvegarde of the pape. 1484 Caxton æsop ii. ii. (1889) 34 Who that..submytteth hym self vnder the saue gard or protection of the euylle. c 1490 Paston Lett. III. 366 Our Lord..have you in His blissid saufegard. 1561 T. Norton Calvin's Inst. ii. 136 Whome he..had receiued into his sauegard, custodie, and protection. 1600 Holland Livy xxxi. xxvii. 789 To commit themselves under the protection and savegard of the Romanes. 1632 Lithgow Trav. iii. 84, I detained my selfe vnder safe⁓guard of the Cloyster. 1657 Whole Duty of Man v. §14 (1660) 117 [We] therefore should tremble to venture on the perils either of day or night without his safeguard. 1732 T. Lediard Sethos II. vii. 125 Under the safeguard of the colony of their nation. |
† b. to stand upon one's safeguard: to stand on the defensive, to defend one's self. Obs.
| 1609 Bp. W. Barlow Answ. Nameless Cath. 236 If any Prince were euer forced to stand vpon his safe-guard, and fence himselfe with Lawes. |
† 3. Guarantee of safety or safe passage given by a person in authority; safe-conduct. on safeguard, on the strength of such guarantee. Obs.
| c 1374 Chaucer Troylus iv. 111 (139) And whan Priam his saue garde sente Thembassadours to troie streught wente. c 1420 ? Lydg. Assembly of Gods 118 For where as I my sauegard grauntyd, Ay in that cost he comonly hauntyd. 1433 Rolls of Parlt. IV. 475/2 Letters of save conduct and save gard. 1526 in 10th Rep. Hist. MSS. Comm. App. v. 402 If anny man..will convey him oute of the town under any Irishman [h]is salfe garde or winges. a 1568 R. Ascham Scholem. ii. (Arb.) 154 He tooke his penne and wrote his warrant of sauegard with these most goodlie wordes, Viuat Varro vir doctissimus. 1594 West 2nd Pt. Symbol. §45 For the ease, savegard, and passage of the inhabitants of the said townes, villages [etc.]. 1594 R. Ashley tr. Loys le Roy 81 Crassus..was slaine as he parlied on safe⁓guard. 1607 Shakes. Cor. iii. i. 9 On safegard he came to me. |
† b. Law. (See quot.) Obs.
| 1670 Blount Law Dict., Safe-guard. See Salva-guardia. Salva Guardia, is a Protection given by the King to a stranger, fearing the violence of some of his Subjects, for seeking His Right by course of Law. |
4. A permit for safe passage: = safe-conduct 2. Also, a guard or escort granted for the same purpose.
| 1633 T. Stafford Pac. Hib. i. xi. 72 Whereupon second Letters together with a safe guard were dispatched unto him. 1642 Laws of War Army Earl Essex A 4 b, Whosoever shall presume to violate a Save-guard, shall die without mercy. a 1674 Clarendon Hist. Reb. viii. §199 So a trumpet was sent to the earl of Essex for a safe guard or pass to those two lords. 1687 T. Brown Saints in Uproar Wks. 1730 I. 79 Without a farthing of money in your pockets, guides to conduct you or safeguards to protect you. 1688 Lond. Gaz. No. 2380/3 They..have need, for themselves and 100 Persons, of Passports and Safeguards to be sent from your Army. 1860 Woolsey Introd. Internat. Law §147 (1875) 183 Passports and safeguards, or safe-conducts, are letters of protection, with or without an escort, by which the person of an enemy is rendered inviolable. 1861 W. H. Russell in Times 6 June, I am obliged to see all that can be seen of the South at once, and then, armed with such safeguards as I can procure, to make an effort to recover my communications. |
5. A warrant granted by a military commander to protect a place from pillage. Also, a guard or detachment of soldiers sent to protect the place.
| 1706 Phillips (ed. Kersey), Safe-Guard, In Military Affairs, a Protection given by a Prince or his General, to some of the Enemy's Country, to be secur'd from being ravag'd by his Men or quartering them; also Soldiers left in such Places for that Purpose. 1707 Lond. Gaz. No. 4377/2 The Princess was there, and had..Safe-guards granted her for the Protection of the Place. |
† 6. A picket or outpost of soldiers. Obs.
| 1677 Lond. Gaz. No. 1238/4 The Mareschal d'Humieres has called in all his Safe-guards, and caused the Bridges on the Canal to be taken up. 1707 Luttrell Brief Rel. (1857) VI. 195 Vendosm has called in all the safeguards round his camp. |
7. gen. Something that offers security from danger; a defence, protection. Now chiefly in immaterial applications: e.g. a legal proviso or a stipulation serving to prevent some encroachment; a course of action, a habit or sentiment, tending to protect the subject against some temptation; or the like. (The chief current sense.)
| 1471 Ripley Comp. Alch., Ep. to Edw. IV in Ashm. (1652) 109 O Honorable Lord,..The savegard of England, & maynteyner of right. 1513 More Rich. III, Wks. 47 That sacred Sainctuary, that hath bene the safegarde of so many a good mannes life. 1523 Fitzherb. Husb. §18 This maner of foldynge..shall be a greate sauegarde to the shepe for rottynge. 1573 G. Harvey Letter-bk. (Camden) 32 Whitch saiing I..do now recount a soverain save gard against all incumbrancis. 1584 R. Norman (title) The safe⁓gard of Sailers, or great Rutter. 1610 Holland Camden's Brit. (1637) 701 [York] a singular safeguard and ornament both, to all the North parts. 1634 Sir T. Herbert Trav. 88 His owne valour was his safeguard. 1776 Gibbon Decl. & F. xii. (1782) I. 393 Their poverty indeed became an additional safeguard to their innocence. 1849 Macaulay Hist. Eng. i. I. 43 No new safeguards for public liberty were devised. 1868 Freeman Norm. Conq. (1877) II. ix. 425 There was a still further reason for placing some special safeguard on that border. 1874 L. Stephen Hours in Library (1892) I. vii. 251 Admirable skill of expression is..no real safeguard against logical blunders. 1891 Law Times XC. 419/2 The old reticence of the Bench was a grand safeguard of its dignity. |
† 8. An outer skirt or petticoat worn by women to protect their dress when riding. (See also quot. 1706.) Also seggard. Obs.
| 1585 Higins Junius' Nomencl. 167 Limus,..a kind of aray or attire reaching from the nauill downe to the feete, by this description like a womans safegard, or a bakers. 1588 in Nichols Progr. Q. Eliz. (1823) III. 3 A safegard with a jhup or gaskyn coate of faire cullored satten. 1590 Lanc. Wills (Chetham Soc.) II. 23 My cloake and savegarde. 1608 Merry Devil of Edmonton i. i. (Stage Direct.), The gentlewomen in cloakes and safeguardes. 1611 Middleton & Dekker Roaring Girl ii. i. D 1, Enter Mol in a freese Ierkin and a blacke sauegard. 1706 Phillips (ed. Kersey) s.v., There is also a kind of Dust-gown, or upper Garment worn by Women, commonly called a Safe-Guard; also a coloured Stuff-Apron, and a sort of Swathing-Band for a young Child. 1789 Append. Chron. in Ann. Reg. 264 Habited in loose white gowns, with nankeen safeguards. |
b. Similarly attrib. (see quot.).
| 1822 Blackw. Mag. XII. 69 With a safe-guard handkerchief, enveloping her turban. |
† 9. Alleged term for a ‘company’ of porters.
| 1486 Bk. St. Albans f vij, A Safegarde of Porteris. |
10. A name for various technical contrivances for ensuring safety.
| 1818 Sporting Mag. III. 83 Purdey's Patent Safeguard, to prevent the accidental discharge of guns. 1875 Knight Dict. Mech., Safeguard 1, a. A rail-guard at a switch or crossing. b. A contrivance attached to a locomotive for throwing stones and other obstructions off the track. |
11. A name for the monitor lizards of America.
[After F. sauvegarde; for the origin of the appellation cf. monitor n. 5. Shaw Zool. III. 215 (1802) gives the equivalent Sp. salvaguarda as the South American name.]
| 1831 Craigie Anat. 160 The American safeguard. 1841 Penny Cycl. XX. 469–70. 1847–9 Todd's Cycl. Anat. IV. 288/1 Safe-guards (Tejus). |