GUARDIAN • FREE TRANSLATOR.ORG • Definition of Guardian

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/gˈɑrdiən/ Listen

noun

Guardian n.

1.

One who guards, preserves, or secures; one to whom any person or thing is committed for protection, security, or preservation from injury; a warden.

2.

(Law) One who has, or is entitled to, the custody of the person or property of an infant, a minor without living parents, or a person incapable of managing his own affairs. "Of the several species of guardians, the first are guardians by nature. viz., the father and (in some cases) the mother of the child."

Guardian ad litem (Law), a guardian appointed by a court of justice to conduct a particular suit.

Guardians of the poor, the members of a board appointed or elected to care for the relief of the poor within a township, or district.

adjective

Guardian adj. Performing, or appropriate to, the office of a protector; as, a guardian care.

Feast of Guardian Angels (R. C. Ch.) a church festival instituted by Pope Paul V., and celebrated on October 2d.

Guardian angel.

(a)

The particular spiritual being believed in some branches of the Christian church to have guardianship and protection of each human being from birth.

(b)

Hence, a protector or defender in general.

Guardian spirit, in the belief of many pagan nations, a spirit, often of a deceased relative or friend, that presides over the interests of a household, a city, or a region.

See images of 'Guardian'

Etymology of 'Guardian'

Collaborative International Dictionary of English 0.48

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"Guardian" Quotes from Famous Books

... the dim background, hovering on many-tinted pinions, and with hands clasped in prayer, is an angel—the guardian angel of the old man's soul. This angel has a face of unspeakable sadness, and eyes in which you can almost see the trembling of big ...

— Evangelists of Art - Picture-Sermons for Children • James Patrick

... detested son George had now to intrust the care of his kingdom, or else abandon his visit to dear Herrenhausen. The struggle was severe, but patriotic affection triumphed over paternal hatred. The Prince was named not indeed Regent, but Guardian of the Realm and Lieutenant, with as many restrictions upon his authority as the King was able or was allowed to impose, and on July 9th George set out for Hanover, accompanied by Secretary Stanhope. He was not long absent from England, however. On November 14th he came back again. Loyalists ...

— A History of the Four Georges, Volume I (of 4) • Justin McCarthy

... to be known as Free Joe. Compelled, under the law, to choose a guardian, he chose Judge Wellington, chiefly because his wife Lucinda was among the negroes won from Major Frampton. For several years Free Joe had what may be called a jovial time. His wife Lucinda was ...

— Free Joe and Other Georgian Sketches • Joel Chandler Harris

... dancers had all honors and offices at their disposal; the city swarmed with informers, who made the rich their prey; every man feared his most intimate friend, and the only bond of friendship was to be an accomplice in crime. The teacher would corrupt his pupil, and the guardian defraud his ward. Crimes which cannot be named were common, and the streets of Rome were the constant scene of robbery, assault, and assassination. The morals of women were as depraved as those of men, and there was no public amusement ...

— Handbook of Universal Literature - From The Best and Latest Authorities • Anne C. Lynch Botta

... and signally marked advance in recent years, in the public idea of what constitutes a librarian. The old idea of a librarian was that of a guardian or keeper of books—not a diffuser of knowledge, but a mere custodian of it. This idea had its origin in ages when books were few, were printed chiefly in dead languages, and rendered still more dead by being chained to the shelves or tables of the library. The librarian ...

— A Book for All Readers • Ainsworth Rand Spofford

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