unguarded

Everyday

1. Unguarded means not watched or protected by anyone. tree →
2. An unguarded moment or remark is one when you are not careful and say or show something you meant to keep secret. tree →

In the lessons

In safety talk, an unguarded fire or pool is dangerous because nobody is watching. In sport, an unguarded player or goal is free and open. In stories, a character lets slip a secret «in an unguarded moment». In The Wind in the Willows Toad escapes when the gate is unguarded.

Examples

• Never leave a fire unguarded. tree →
• The goal was unguarded and he scored easily. tree →
• Toad slipped past the unguarded gate. tree →
• In an unguarded moment, she told us her secret. tree →
• The castle was left unguarded at night. tree →
• The bags were unguarded on the train. tree →

Note

Made of «un-» + «guarded». The «u» after g is silent: un-GAR-did.