[cf. F. garde du corps.]
1. A guard for the person (esp. of a sovereign or dignitary); a retinue or escort.
a. 1735. Arbuthnot, Wks. (1751), II. 137 (Jod.). Several Bees going with him, as a Body-Guard.
1738. F. Moore, Trav., II. 404 (Jod.). There are no troops in the Austrian service with increased pay, and exclusive privileges, under the denomination of body-guards.
1768. Tucker, Lt. Nat., II. 182. That body-guard of Popery the Jesuits.
1820. Scott, Abbot, xxi. A page is a formidable addition to my body-guard of females.
1822. Byron, Werner, I. i. 676. I’ll promote you to the ranks In the prince’s body-guard.
1847. Grote, Greece (1862), III. xlii. 513. The thousand select troops who formed his [Mardonius’] body-guard distinguished themselves beyond all the rest.
fig. 1858. J. Martineau, Studies Chr., 72. Defended by a body-guard of passions.
2. A soldier of the body-guard, a guard’s-man.
1861. W. Sargent, André, 390. The earliest military execution seems to have been that of one of the body-guards, who plotted with Tryon to seize our General.
