ward staff

Ward \Ward\, n. [AS. weard, fem., guard, weard, masc., keeper,
   guard; akin to OS. ward a watcher, warden, G. wart, OHG.
   wart, Icel. v["o]r[eth]r a warden, a watch, Goth. -wards in
   da['u]rawards a doorkeeper, and E. wary; cf. OF. warde guard,
   from the German. See {Ware}, a., {Wary}, and cf. {Guard},
   {Wraith}.]
   1. The act of guarding; watch; guard; guardianship;
      specifically, a guarding during the day. See the Note
      under {Watch}, n., 1.
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            Still, when she slept, he kept both watch and ward.
                                                  --Spenser.
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   2. One who, or that which, guards; garrison; defender;
      protector; means of guarding; defense; protection.
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            For the best ward of mine honor.      --Shak.
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            The assieged castle's ward
            Their steadfast stands did mightily maintain.
                                                  --Spenser.
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            For want of other ward,
            He lifted up his hand, his front to guard. --Dryden.
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   3. The state of being under guard or guardianship;
      confinement under guard; the condition of a child under a
      guardian; custody.
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            And he put them in ward in the house of the captain
            of the guard.                         --Gen. xl. 3.
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            I must attend his majesty's command, to whom I am
            now in ward.                          --Shak.
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            It is also inconvenient, in Ireland, that the wards
            and marriages of gentlemen's children should be in
            the disposal of any of those lords.   --Spenser.
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   4. A guarding or defensive motion or position, as in fencing;
      guard. "Thou knowest my old ward; here I lay, and thus I
      bore my point." --Shak.
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   5. One who, or that which, is guarded. Specifically: 
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      (a) A minor or person under the care of a guardian; as, a
          ward in chancery. "You know our father's ward, the
          fair Monimia." --Otway.
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      (b) A division of a county. [Eng. & Scot.]
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      (c) A division, district, or quarter of a town or city.
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                Throughout the trembling city placed a guard,
                Dealing an equal share to every ward. --Dryden.
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      (d) A division of a forest. [Eng.]
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      (e) A division of a hospital; as, a fever ward.
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   6.
      (a) A projecting ridge of metal in the interior of a lock,
          to prevent the use of any key which has not a
          corresponding notch for passing it.
      (b) A notch or slit in a key corresponding to a ridge in
          the lock which it fits; a ward notch. --Knight.
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                The lock is made . . . more secure by attaching
                wards to the front, as well as to the back,
                plate of the lock, in which case the key must be
                furnished with corresponding notches.
                                                  --Tomlinson.
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   {Ward penny} (O. Eng. Law), money paid to the sheriff or
      castellan for watching and warding a castle.

   {Ward staff}, a constable's or watchman's staff. [Obs.]
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