Also 6 -of gard, -du gard, 7 -du guard(e, 7 -de gard, 6–8 -guard, 8 cor de guard; 6–7 Sc. corsgard, corps-guarde. [F. corps de garde ‘petite troupe qui monte la garde, lieu ou se tient cette petite troupe.’ Introduced into Eng. bef. 1600, and often corrupted to Court o’ guard, COURT OF GUARD.]
1. The small body of soldiers stationed on guard or as sentinels.
1590. Sir J. Smyth, Disc. Weapons, 2 b. The bodie of the watch also or standing watch (as we were wont to terme it) they now call after the French, or Wallons, Corps du gard.
1598. Barret, Theor. Warres, I. ii. 12. Placed for Sentinell or in the Corps de gard.
1606. Holland, Sueton., 187. The corps deguarde of the [Pretorian] Souldiers, which at that time kept watch and ward.
1639. Massinger, Unnat. Combat, V. ii. The sentinel slain, The corps de guard defeated too.
1716. Lond. Gaz., No. 5452/3. They were opposed by the Corps de Garde.
1726. Cavallier, Mem., I. 81. When the Centry saw us, he gave notice thereof to the Cor de Guard, and the Cor de Guard to the Governor.
2. The post or station occupied by a small military guard; a guard-room or guard-house.
1587. J. Harmar, trans. Beza’s Serm., 334 (T.). False Pastors…, whome a man shal find … anie where else then in their corps de gard.
1591. Garrard, Art Warre, 59. When he is arrived at the Corps of gard, and hath … provided for all things necessarie for the watch of that night.
1600. Holland, Livy, XXV. xxxix. 579. Their weapons onely stood reared up in their corps de guard [stationibus].
a. 1622. A. Melville, Lett., in Life, II. 530 (Jam.). Within my own garison and corsgard.
1705. Lond. Gaz., No. 4129/2. The Wall between that Room and the Corps de Guard was … thrown down.
1870. trans. Erckmann Chatrian’s Waterloo, 125. In front of the archway of the corps-de-garde.
