having one's guard up

Questions

What does having one's guard up mean?

present participle and gerund of have one's guard up

How to pronounce having one's guard up

1. Open the pronunciation page — Open the Speakur entry for “having one's guard up”.
2. Read the phonetic spelling — Read the IPA spelling () so you know which sounds to aim for.
3. Play the audio — Click Play to hear reference audio for “having one's guard up”.
4. Repeat and practice — Say “having one's guard up” aloud, matching stress and vowels until it feels natural.