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The Collaborative International Dictionary of English v.0.48 (gcide)

Guardian \Guard"i*an\, n. [OF. guardain, gardien, F. gardien,
LL. guardianus. See {Guard}, v. t., and cf. {Wasden}.]
1. One who guards, preserves, or secures; one to whom any
person or thing is committed for protection, security, or
preservation from injury; a warden.
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2. (Law) One who has, or is entitled to, the custody of the
person or property of an infant, a minor without living
parents, or a person incapable of managing his own
affairs.
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Of the several species of guardians, the first are
guardians by nature. -- viz., the father and (in
some cases) the mother of the child. --Blackstone.
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{Guardian ad litem}(Law), a guardian appointed by a court of
justice to conduct a particular suit.

{Guardians of the poor}, the members of a board appointed or
elected to care for the relief of the poor within a
township, or district.
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Guardian \Guard"i*an\ (g[aum]rd"[i^]*an or g[aum]rd"yan; 106),
a.
Performing, or appropriate to, the office of a protector; as,
a guardian care.
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{Feast of Guardian Angels} (R. C. Ch.) a church festival
instituted by Pope Paul V., and celebrated on October 2d.


{Guardian angel}.
(a) The particular spiritual being believed in some branches
of the Christian church to have guardianship and
protection of each human being from birth.
(b) Hence, a protector or defender in general. --O. W.
Holmes.

{Guardian spirit}, in the belief of many pagan nations, a
spirit, often of a deceased relative or friend, that
presides over the interests of a household, a city, or a
region.
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