‖ arrière-guard, † aˈrrear-guard
Forms: 5 arryere-, 6 arere-, arrier-, areare-gard(e, 7 arrere-, 7–8 arrear-, 7–9 arrière-guard.
[a. 15th c. Fr. arrière-guarde; in 16–17th c. quite conformed to the Eng. spelling of arrear and guard; but by mod. writers again spelt partly as French. Also, from the first, aphetized as ryere-, rere-, rear-guard, which is now the current form. OFr. had arere-guarde and rere-guarde (both in Chanson de Roland). Cf. arrear-ward: ward was the native Eng., and warde the North. F. form of the Teut. word which became in Central Fr. guarde, garde.]
= rear-guard.
| 1489 Caxton Faytes of Armes i. xxiii. 72 Wythout noon other forwarde nor arryeregarde. 1523 Ld. Berners Froiss. I. xcviii. 119 The constable of Fraunce made the areregarde. 1542 Harl. Misc. (Malh.) I. 237 In the arriergarde or hinder warde was the Italyans and the Rhodyans. 1579 Fenton Guicciard. xiii. (1599) 605 From the auaungard he became the arearegard. 1601 Holland Pliny I. 194 The eldest of them leadeth the vaward..the next to him in age commeth behind with the conduct of the arrereguard. 1687 Lond. Gaz. mmcclxvii/2 The Arrear-Guard was Commanded by the Elector of Bavaria. 1721 Bailey, Arriere Guard. 1824 Campbell Theodric Wks. 1837. 43 Our arrière-guard had check'd the Gallic van. |