ward
- 01 B2 Upper Intermediate
n.a large room in a hospital with several beds for patients who need similar care.
n.a separate room or division in a hospital, typically shared by multiple patients requiring similar medical treatment.
Simple“The nurse walked through the children's ward to check on the patients before her shift ended.”
In context“Following the surgery, the patient was transferred from the intensive care unit to a general surgical ward for long-term recovery.”
Synonyms - 02 C1 Advanced
n.an area of a city or town that has its own local leaders and elections.
n.an administrative division of a city or borough that serves as a constituency for local elections.
Simple“She is running for a seat on the city council to represent our ward.”
In context“The boundary commission proposed redrawing the city's wards to ensure more equitable representation across the growing suburban districts.”
- 03 C1 Advanced
n.a person, usually a child, who is legally under the care of a guardian or a court.
n.a person, especially a minor or someone legally incompetent, placed under the protection of a guardian or a court of law.
Simple“After his parents died, the boy became a ward of the state until his aunt was found.”
In context“The court appointed a legal professional to manage the finances of the ward, ensuring the inheritance was protected until the child reached adulthood.”
- 04 B2 Upper Intermediate
v.to push away or prevent something bad from happening; usually used with 'off'.
v.to avert, repel, or turn aside something dangerous or unpleasant; almost exclusively used as the phrasal verb 'ward off'.
Simple“She drank plenty of orange juice to ward off the cold she felt coming on.”
In context“The central bank raised interest rates in a desperate attempt to ward off the looming threat of hyperinflation.”
UsageAlmost always used with the particle 'off'.
- 05 C2 Proficiency
n.the act of guarding or protecting someone.
n.the action of guarding or the state of being under guard; also refers to a person who performs such duties.
Simple“The knight kept watch and ward over the castle gates all through the night.”
In context“The ancient laws of the realm required the lord to provide watch and ward for all travelers passing through his lands.”
Synonyms
“Isolated on a hospital ward and not allowed any visitors except his wife, he began making music as a way to pass the time.”
“You need to go to a cancer ward.’” And that was it.”
From Middle English warde, from Old English weard (“keeper, watchman, guard, guardian, protector; lord, king; possessor”), from Proto-Germanic warduz (“guard, keeper”), from Proto-Indo-European wer- (“to heed, defend”). Cognate with Dutch waard, German Wart.
From Middle English ward, warde, from Old English weard (“watching, ward, protection, guardianship; advance post; waiting for, lurking, ambuscade”), from Proto-West Germanic wardu, from Proto-Germanic wardō (“protection, attention, keeping”), an extension of the stem wara- (“attentive”) (English wary, beware), from Proto-Indo-European wer- (“to cover”). Cognate with German Warte (“watchtower”), warten (“wait for”); English guard is a parallel form which came via Old French.
From Middle English warden, from Old English weardian (“to watch, guard, keep, protect, preserve; hold, possess, occupy, inhabit; rule, govern”), from Proto-West Germanic wardēn, from Proto-Germanic wardōną, wardāną (“to guard”), from Proto-Indo-European wer- (“to heed, defend”). Doublet of guard.
Etymology adapted from Wiktionary, available under CC BY-SA 4.0.