Obs. Forms: α. 5–6 Sc. wantgard, 6–7 vantgard (6 -garde), 6–8 vantguard (6–7 -guarde). β. 5–6 vauntgarde (7 vaunte-), 6–7 vauntgard, -guard. [Aphetic f. AVANTGUARD. Cf. VANTWARD.]
1. Mil. = VANGUARD 1.
α. c. 1470. Henry, Wallace, VI. 500. Wallace him selff the wantgard he has tayne.
a. 1548. Hall, Chron. (1809), 441. Bothe the vantgardes ioyned together with suche a force that it was maruell to beholde.
1587. Fleming, Contn. Holinshed, III. 1970/2. Being lodged in the vantgard that was gouerned by monsieur de Brissac.
1598. Barret, Theor. Warres, III. ii. 67. The one marcheth in the vantgard, and the other in the reareward.
1648. Gage, West Ind., x. 40. And Tupitil and Teutecatl, very principall gentlemen, had the Vant-gard with ten thousand men.
1670. Cotton, Espernon, I. III. 133. Shewing him at the same time the Duke’s Vant-Guard, which began to appear upon a little eminence hard by.
1700. Chauncy, Hist. Antiq. Herts. (1826), I. 39. Who … was Captain of the Vantguard of King Edward’s Army in Scotland.
a. 1754. Carte, Hist. Eng. (1755), IV. 60. His vantguard was quartered at S. Lanfranc.
β. c. 1450. Merlin, x. 151. Now fro hens-forth may we go vpon youre enmyes, and ther-fore devise now who shall haue the vaunt garde.
1485. Caxton, Chas. Gt., 232. In the vaunte garde … were xx thousand crysten men.
1568. Grafton, Chron., II. 124. In kepyng this course the vauntgarde encountered with the Erle of Boleyn.
1583. Stocker, Civ. Warres Lowe C., III. 98 b. They first appointed seuen Ensignes for the vauntguard.
1643. R. Baker, Chron., 94. Fauconbridge and Blunt continue the leading of the Vauntguard.
1679. Blount, Anc. Tenures, 109. By condition of service to lead the Vauntguard of the Earles Army.
b. fig. = VANGUARD 1 b.
1598. Sylvester, Du Bartas, I. vi. 39. Of all the Beasts … The Elephant the Vant-guard doth command.
1623. H. Sydenham, Serm. Sol. Occ. (1637), 90. Men who make a shrewd flourish in the vant-guard of Religion.
1629. N. Carpenter, Achitophel, I. (1640), 22. Litle can true wisdome … perswade in the Reare where wicked policie commands the Vant-guard.
2. a. A breastplate, corslet. rare–1.
1561. Daus, trans. Bullinger on Apoc. (1573), 120. They had also Habergions … which is a defence for the breste, called a breste plate, or a vauntgarde.
b. (See quot.)
1611. Florio, Vanguardia,… a vantguard of a helmet, of a caske or head piece.
