safeguard

Etymology

From Middle English savegard, from Middle French sauvegarde, from Old French salve garde, sauve garde, reconstructed as safe + guard.

noun

1. Something that serves as a guard or protection; a defense.
   Getting a flu shot is a good safeguard against illness.
2. One who, or that which, defends or protects; defence; protection.
   Thy sword, the safeguard of thy brother's throne. 1726, George Granville, To the King, in the First Year of His Majesty’s Reign
3. A safe-conduct or passport, especially in time of war.
4. (obsolete) The monitor lizard.
   The same idea is entertained of the Safeguard in America, as of the Monitor in Africa, and other parts of the Old World, […] 1844, The Animal Kingdom

verb

1. To protect, to keep safe.
   She kept a savings to safeguard against debt and emergencies.
   … Crossrail 2 is mothballed. It is safeguarded, it is absolutely not cancelled. November 18 2020, “Network News: London 'bailout' achieved with just minutes to spare”, in Rail, page 10
2. (UK, Ireland, by extension) To implement safeguarding.
3. To escort safely.