This is the 4379th most frequent French word.
garde
"Guard," "care," or "watch."
Here, 'garde' denotes an entity or group responsible for guarding and protection.
Le château est protégé par une garde royale.
The castle is protected by a royal guard.
Here, 'garde' refers to the act of caregiving or supervision, especially in the context of children.
La garde est essentielle pour les enfants.
Care is essential for children.
In this usage, 'garder' is the verb form meaning 'to keep' or 'to guard', referring to maintaining the state of something being closed.