Edit page | Page history | Printable version

warden

1. A keeper; a guardian; a watchman. He called to the warden on the . . . Battlements. (Sir. W. Scott)

2. An officer who keeps or guards; a keeper; as, the warden of a prison.

3. A head official; as, the warden of a college; specifically, a churchwarden.

4. [Properly, a keeping pear] A large, hard pear, chiefly used for baking and roasting. I would have had him roasted like a warden. (Beau. & Fl) Warden pie, a pie made of warden pears.

Origin: OE. Wardein, OF. Wardein, gardein, gardain, F. Gardien. See Guardian, and Ward guard.