Obs., and ǁ Arrière-guard. Forms: 5 arryere-, 6 arere-, arrier-, areare-gard(e, 7 arrere-, 7–8 arrear-, 7–9 arrière-guard. [a. 15th c. Fr. arrière-guarde; in 16–17th c. quite conformed to the Eng. spelling of arrear and guard; but by mod. writers again spelt partly as French. Also, from the first, aphetized as ryere-, rere-, REAR-GUARD, which is now the current form. OFr. had arere-guarde and rere-guarde (both in Chanson de Roland). Cf. ARREAR-WARD: ward was the native Eng., and warde the North. F. form of the Teut. word which became in Central Fr. guarde, garde.] = REAR-GUARD.
1489. Caxton, Faytes of Armes, I. xxiii. 72. Wythout noon other forwarde nor arryeregarde.
1523. Ld. Berners, Froiss., I. xcviii. 119. The constable of Fraunce made the areregarde.
1542. Harl. Misc. (Malh.), I. 237. In the arriergarde or hinder warde was the Italyans and the Rhodyans.
1579. Fenton, Guicciard., XIII. (1599), 605. From the auaungard he became the arearegard.
1601. Holland, Pliny, I. 194. The eldest of them leadeth the vaward … the next to him in age commeth behind with the conduct of the arrereguard.
1687. Lond. Gaz., mmcclxvii/2. The Arrear-Guard was commanded by the Elector of Bavaria.
1721. Bailey, Arriere Guard.
1824. Campbell, Theodric, Wks. 1837, 43. Our arrière-guard had check’d the Gallic van.
