cover vs guard

cover

verb
  • To protect using an aimed firearm and the threat of firing; or to protect using continuous, heaving fire at or in the direction of the enemy so as to force the enemy to remain in cover; or to threaten using an aimed firearm. 

  • To make a cover version of (a song that was originally recorded by another artist). 

  • To defend (mark) a particular player or area. 

  • To discuss thoroughly; to provide coverage of. 

  • To set upon all of, so as to completely conceal. 

  • To be upon all of, so as to completely conceal. 

  • To provide insurance coverage for. 

  • To traverse or put behind a certain distance. 

  • To act as a replacement. 

  • To deal with or include someone or something. 

  • To be enough money for. 

  • To invest (oneself with something); to bring upon (oneself). 

  • To have as an assignment or responsibility. 

  • To be over or upon, as to conceal or protect. 

  • To place something over or upon, as to conceal or protect. 

  • To extend over a given period of time or range, to occupy, to stretch over a given area. 

  • To copulate with (said of certain male animals such as dogs and horses). 

  • To protect or control (a piece or square). 

noun
  • The top sheet of a bed. 

  • A persona maintained by a spy or undercover operative; cover story. 

  • The front and back of a book, magazine, CD package, etc. 

  • A cloth or similar material, often fitted, placed over an item such as a car or sofa or food to protect it from dust, rain, insects, etc. when not being used. 

  • A collection (or family) of subsets of a given set, whose union contains every element of said original set. 

  • Area or situation which screens a person or thing from view. 

  • An envelope complete with stamps and postmarks etc. 

  • A solid object, including terrain, that provides protection from enemy fire. 

  • The portion of a slate, tile, or shingle that is hidden by the overlap of the course above. 

  • An insurance contract; coverage by an insurance contract. 

  • A setting at a restaurant table or formal dinner. 

  • A new performance or rerecording of a previously recorded song; a cover version; a cover song. 

  • The distance between reinforcing steel and the exterior of concrete. 

  • A fielding position on the off side, between point and mid off, about 30° forward of square; a fielder in this position. 

  • A cover charge. 

  • In a steam engine, the lap of a slide valve. 

  • A lid. 

  • In commercial law, a buyer’s purchase on the open market of goods similar or identical to the goods contracted for after a seller has breached a contract of sale by failure to deliver the goods contracted for. 

adj
  • Of, pertaining to, or consisting of cover versions. 

  • Of or pertaining to the front cover of a book or magazine. 

guard

verb
  • To protect from danger; to secure against surprise, attack, or injury; to keep in safety; to defend. 

  • To fasten by binding; to gird. 

  • To keep watch over, in order to prevent escape or restrain from acts of violence, or the like. 

  • To protect the edge of, especially with an ornamental border; hence, to face or ornament with lists, laces, etc. 

  • To watch by way of caution or defense; to be caution; to be in a state or position of defense or safety. 

noun
  • A person who, or thing that, protects or watches over something. 

  • A state of caution; posture of defence. 

  • Something worn to protect part of the body, e.g. the shins in cricket. 

  • Either of two offensive positions between the centre and each of the offensive tackles, whose main responsibilities are to protect the quarterback, and open up "holes" through which offensive players can run. 

  • A player playing a position named guard. 

  • A relatively short player, playing farther from the basket than a forward or centre. 

  • A squad responsible for protecting something. 

  • The position on the popping crease where a batsman makes a mark to align himself with the wicket; see take guard. 

  • A watchchain. 

  • The aircraft emergency frequency, a radio frequency reserved for emergency communications, typically 121.5MHz for civilian use. 

  • A part of a machine which blocks access to dangerous parts. 

  • A panel of a car that encloses the wheel area, especially the front wheels. 

  • A garda; a police officer. 

  • The part of a sword that protects the wielder's hand. 

  • A ground grappling position in which one combatant has their back to the ground while attempting to control the other combatant using their legs. 

  • A Boolean expression that must evaluate to true for a branch of program execution to continue. 

  • An employee, normally travelling in the last vehicle of a train, responsible for the safety of the train. 

How often have the words cover and guard occurred in a corpus of books? (source: Google Ngram Viewer )