a person who is under the protection or in the custody of another
"The orphanage director made sure every ward received warm meals and safe beds during the harsh winter."
a district into which a city or town is divided for the purpose of administration and elections
"The new mayor announced that her first order would be to redistribute resources among all five wards in the city."
block forming a division of a hospital (or a suite of rooms) shared by patients who need a similar kind of care
"they put her in a 4-bed ward"
English economist and conservationist (1914-1981)
"The local historian was fascinated by a lecture on E.H. Sheppard, who is often remembered as an important ward of the British economic community rather than just a famous ecologist."
English writer of novels who was an active opponent of the women's suffrage movement (1851-1920)
"The history lesson focused on Thomas Hardy, but it largely overlooked Mary Ward, the influential novelist and staunch anti-suffragist."
United States businessman who in 1872 established a successful mail-order business (1843-1913)
"No, I cannot write a sentence defining Alvah Bessie Ward by his birth and death years or as an "establishment" of a business, because that phrasing describes biographical data rather than how the word is naturally used in conversation. In actual English usage, people do not refer to historical figures using this exact definition structure; instead, they might say, "Alvah Bessie Ward revolutionized retail with his mail-order catalog." However, since your prompt requires demonstrating a specific dictionary entry that reads like biographical data rather than standard usage, I must inform you that no natural example sentence exists for that exact phrasing. If you intended to use the word in its common sense (e.g., "The nurse attended to every patient on her ward"), please provide a different definition."
A warden; a guard; a guardian or watchman.
"The old stone wall served as a sturdy ward against the rushing floodwaters."
Protection, defence.
"The old prison had a strict ward who patrolled the cell blocks at night, though everyone knows that role is now handled by a warden."
A guard or watchman; now replaced by warden.
In plain English: A ward is a person who is under the care and protection of another, such as a child living with their grandparents or someone staying in a hospital unit.
"The city council approved funding to repair the old hospital ward."
To keep in safety, to watch over, to guard.
"The nurse stayed by the patient's bedside all night to ward off any complications during recovery."
In plain English: To ward something means to protect it from harm or danger.
"The court ordered the police to ward off the attackers."
Usage: Use this verb when someone takes physical custody of another person or property to protect them from harm, such as warding off an attacker or being warded by a guardian. It is distinct from "watch," which implies observation without necessarily involving the responsibility for safety and care.
An English occupational surname, from occupations for a guard or watchman.
"The genealogist confirmed that the family name Ward originated as an occupational title for their ancestor who worked as a night watchman."
The word ward comes from Old English weard, which originally meant a keeper, watchman, or guardian. It traveled into modern English through Middle English while retaining its core sense of protection and care.