▪ I. guarding, vbl. n.
(ˈgɑːdɪŋ)
[f. guard v. + -ing1.]
1. The action of the vb. guard; protection; guardianship.
| 1551 Udall Erasm. Par. Luke xi. 1–4 Vnder the tuicion and guarding [1548 wardyng] of their heauenly father. 1577–87 Holinshed Chron. III. 887/2 A castell ancientlie vsed by the kings of Aragon for the garding of great personages. 1817 J. Scott Paris Revisit. (ed. 4) 329 The guarding of the Louvre was committed by turns to the British and Austrians, while this process lasted. 1877 Daily News 30 Nov. 5/5 Our only care was the guarding of the valleys by which our flank could be turned. |
2. concr. A trimming of braid, lace, etc. Obs. exc. Hist.
| 1538 Starkey England i. iii. 80 The new devysys of gardyng and faggyng of mennys apparayle. 1608 Machin Dumb Knt. i. i, Crownes, garlands, gardins, and what not. 1869 F. B. Palliser Lace xxii. 258 The London apprentices had adopted the white stitching and garding as a decoration for their collars. |
3. Curling and Bowls. (See guard v. 9.)
| 1897 Encycl. Sport I. 128 The aim of every player is to get his bowls..nearer to the jack than his opponent, and immense variety is afforded by ‘drawing’, ‘guarding’ a shot or a road, ‘trailing’ a jack [etc.]. Ibid. 129 Blocking (also Guarding and Obstructing), playing a bowl so that it shall come to rest between the next player and the jack, or any bowl at which he may wish to aim. |
▪ II. guarding, ppl. a.
(ˈgɑːdɪŋ)
[f. guard v. + -ing2.]
That guards or protects.
| 1819 Crabbe T. of Hall 1, So good a cause was only to be kept by guarding laws. 1895 Daily News 1 Feb. 6/7 The little book..has a guarding flap. 1897 M. Kingsley W. Africa 176 The Adoomas left and fled to the French authority at Njole and remained under its guarding shadow until the French came up and chastised the Fans. |
Hence ˈguardingly adv.
| 1821 Examiner 142/1 St. Peter..has a sword guardingly, as he stands up against a tree ‘in a disturbed sleep’. |