Webster's English Dictionary

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ward

1. ward \'wo.(*)rd\ \'wo.rd-*d\ n [ME, fr. OE weard; akin to OHG warta act 
   of watching, OE warian)X to beware of, guard - more at WARE 1a: the action 
   or process of guarding  1b: a group acting as guards  2: the state of being 
   under guard; esp : CUSTODY  3a: the inner court of a castle or fortress  
   3b: a division (as a cell or block) of a prison  3c: a division in a 
   hospital  4a: a division of a city for representative, electoral, or 
   administrative p urposes 4b: a division of some English and Scottish 
   counties corresponding to a hun dred 4c: a Mormon territorial unit 
   comprising local branches of the church auxil iary organizations and 
   quorums of the Aaronic priesthood 5: a projecting ridge of metal in a lock 
   casing or keyhole permitting only  the insertion of a key with a 
   corresponding notch; also : a corresponding notch in a bit of a key 6: a 
   person under guard, protection, or surveillance : as  6a: a minor subject 
   to wardship  6b: a person who by reason of incapacity (as minority or 
   lunacy) is under t he protection of a court either directly or through a 
   guardian appointed by the court 6c: a person or body of persons under the 
   protection or tutelage of a gover nment 7: means of defense : PROTECTION  - 
   ward.ed aj
2. ward vt [ME warden, fr. OE weardian; akin to OHG warte-n to watch,] ON 
   vartha to guard, OE weard ward 1: to keep watch over : GUARD  2: DEFLECT - 
   usu. used with off