From Middle English regard, regarde, reguard, from Anglo-Norman reguard, from regarder, reguarder. Attested in Middle English starting around the mid 14th century. Piecewise doublet of reward; compare also guard, ward, guardian, and so on.
Meanings
(countable) A steady look, a gaze.
He bathed in the memory of her blondness, of her warm blue regard, and the sentiment permeated his sensibility with tenderness made the more rich because its object was someone long since dead. 1982, Lawrence Durrell, Constance, Faber & Faber 2004 (Avignon Quintet), p. 750
(countable, uncountable) One's concern for another; esteem; relation, reference.
(countable, qualifier:preceded by “in” or “with”, uncountable) A particular aspect or detail; respect, sense.
This attempt will be made with every regard to the difficulty of the undertaking […] 1842, Treuttel and Würtz, The Foreign Quarterly Review, page 144:
We are spending a lot of money trying to put this mine in shape; we are anxious to comply with the wishes of your office in every regard […] 1903, Kentucky Mines, Minerals Dept, Annual Report, page 186:
These problems were not traditional problems with realistic stimuli, but rather were realistic in every regard. 1989, Leonard W. Poon, David C. Rubin, Barbara A. Wilson, Everyday Cognition in Adulthood and Late Life, Cambridge University Press, page 399:
(uncountable) The worth or estimation in which something or someone is held.
Dolph. For the Dolphin,
I stand here for him: what to him from England?
Exe. Scorne and defiance, sleight regard, contempt,
And any thing that may not mis-become
The mightie Sender, doth he prize you at. 1599 (date written), William Shakespeare, “The Life of Henry the Fift”, in Mr. William Shakespeares Comedies, Histories, & Tragedies […] (First Folio), London: […] Isaac Iaggard, and Ed[ward] Blount, published 1623, →OCLC, [Act II, scene iv], page 77, column 1:
es miramiento (the estimation in which someone of something is held) · mi matihere (the estimation in which someone of something is held) · de Respekt (concern for another) · no betraktning (aspect; detail) · uk ува́га (concern for another) · mi kōtua (the estimation in which someone of something is held) · es reguardo (concern for another) · de Hinsicht (aspect; detail) · sa आदर (the estimation in which someone of something is held) · az xüsus (aspect; detail) · gd suim (aspect; detail) · cs ohled (aspect; detail) · hu tekintet (concern for another) · fi yksityiskohta (aspect; detail) · ru уваже́ние (concern for another) · nl respect (concern for another) · de Aspekt (aspect; detail) · ko 관심을 기울이다 (concern for another) · ota بال (concern for another) · nl achting (concern for another) · fi mieli (aspect; detail) · ota صان (the estimation in which someone of something is held) · ru внима́ние (concern for another) · kix vìshā (aspect; detail) · ota اعتبار (the estimation in which someone of something is held) · sa सम्मान (the estimation in which someone of something is held) · bg внимание (concern for another) · pl szacunek (concern for another) · la respectus (the estimation in which someone of something is held) · de Bezug (aspect; detail) · de Wertschätzung (the estimation in which someone of something is held) · uk турбо́та (concern for another) · pt consideração (concern for another) · ko 주목하다 (concern for another) · ru забо́та (concern for another) · sq kujdes (concern for another) · bg грижа (concern for another) · no respekt (concern for another) · bg уважение (the estimation in which someone of something is held) · gd aire (concern for another) · pl respekt (concern for another) · gd suim (concern for another) · bg отношение (aspect; detail) · it riguardo (concern for another) · mi matihere (concern for another) · de Achtung (concern for another) · it considerazione (concern for another) · it proposito (concern for another) · mi kōtua (concern for another) · es reguardo (the estimation in which someone of something is held) · ja 尊重 (concern for another) · ru взгляд (aspect; detail) · ota دقت (concern for another) · fi suhde (aspect; detail) · uk пова́га (concern for another) · no aktelse (concern for another) · ota شان (the estimation in which someone of something is held) · fi huomiointi (concern for another) · es miramiento (concern for another)
From Middle English regarden, from Old French regarder, reguarder. First attested in late Middle English, circa the early 15th century.
Meanings
(transitive) To look at; to observe.
And They made the Moon, with his face wrinkled with many mountains and worn with a thousand valleys, to regard with pale eyes the games of the small gods, and to watch throughout the resting time of Māna-Yood-Sushāī; to watch, to regard all things, and be silent. 1905, Lord Dunsany [i.e., Edward Plunkett, 18th Baron of Dunsany], The Gods of Pegāna, London: [Charles] Elkin Mathews, […], →OCLC:
She regarded us warily.
(transitive) To consider, look upon (something) in a given way etc.
I regard such a way of life with distaste.
For Liverpool, their season will now be regarded as a relative disappointment after failure to add the FA Cup to the Carling Cup and not mounting a challenge to reach the Champions League places. 2012 May 5, Phil McNulty, “Chelsea 2-1 Liverpool”, in BBC Sport:
His associates seem to have regarded him with kindness, which, in spite of their admiration of his writings, was not unmixed with contempt. 1857, Thomas Babington Macaulay, “Oliver Goldsmith”, in Biographical and Historical Sketches, New York: D. Appleton and Company, page 49:
He regards honesty as a duty, but was regarded himself as (being) rather dangerous by the police.
She regarded her pets as an extension of the family.
I always regarded tabloid journalism as a social evil.
Signior Leonato, truth it is good Signior, / Your neece regards me with an eye of fauour. , [Act V, scene iv]
(archaic, transitive) To take notice of, pay attention to.
If much you note him / You ſhall offend him, and extend his Paſſion, / Feed, and regard him not. c. 1606 (date written), William Shakespeare, “The Tragedie of Macbeth”, in Mr. William Shakespeares Comedies, Histories, & Tragedies […] (First Folio), London: […] Isaac Iaggard, and Ed[ward] Blount, published 1623, →OCLC, [Act III, scene iv], page 142, column 1:
I should not, however, so much mind if this folly [of giving children poetic names] were comprised in that domain of cold gentility, to which affectation usually confines itself. One does not regard seeing Miss Arabella seated at the piano, or her little sister Leonora tottling across the carpet to show her new pink shoes. That is in the usual course of events. 1870, Mary Russell Mitford, Our Village: Sketches of Rural Character and Scenery:
(transitive) To face toward.
We pass’d by[…]that exceedingly beautifull scate of my Lord Pembroke, on yᵉ ascent of an hill, flank’d with wood, and reguarding the river ; and so at night to Cadenham, yᵉ mansion of Ed. Hungerford, Esq. 1654 June 9, John Evelyn, edited by William Bray, Memoirs, new edition, London: Henry Colburn, published 1827, pages 70–1:
Seated on a peninſula which regardeth the maine land ; ſtrong by nature, and fortified by Art : adorned heretofore with magnificent buildings ; and numbered amongſt the paradiſes of the earth, for temperate aire, and delightfull ſituation. 1615, George Sandys, A Relation of a Iourney begun An. Dom. 1610, London: Andrew Crooke, published 1637, page 16:
(transitive) To have to do with, to concern.
My lords, the question thus proposed by your lordships to the Judges must be admitted by all persons to be a question of great importance, as it regards the administration of justice. 1821, edited by Curson Hansard, The parliamentary debates, Volume 3, page 809:
That argument does not regard the question.
(obsolete, transitive) To set store by (something), to hold (someone) in esteem; to consider to have value, to respect.
Suppoſe they be in number infinit,
Yet being voyd of Martiall diſcipline,
All running headlong after greedie ſpoiles:
And more regarding gaine than victorie: […]
Their careleſſe ſwords ſhal lanch their fellows throats
And make vs triumph in their ouerthrow. c. 1587–1588 (date written), [Christopher Marlowe], Tamburlaine the Great. […] The First Part […], 2nd edition, part 1, London: […] [R. Robinson for] Richard Iones, […], published 1592, →OCLC; reprinted as Tamburlaine the Great (A Scolar Press Facsimile), Menston, Yorkshire; London: Scolar Press, 1973, →ISBN, Act II, scene ii:
Ther was a Iudge in a certayne cite which feared not god nether regarded man. 1526, [William Tyndale, transl.], The Newe Testamẽt […] (Tyndale Bible), [Worms, Germany: Peter Schöffer], →OCLC, Luke xviij:[2]:
fi olla johonkin päin (to face toward) · bg касая (to have to do with) · ja 見なす (to consider, look upon in a given way) · pt considerar (to hold in esteem) · fr regarder (to consider, look upon in a given way) · es considerar (to consider, look upon in a given way) · de betrachten (to consider, look upon in a given way) · es contemplar (to look at; to observe) · nl beschouwen (to consider, look upon in a given way) · fi olla jonkin puolella (to face toward) · ja 尊重する (to hold in esteem) · fi katsoa (to look at; to observe) · fi huomioida (to take notice of, pay attention to) · bg отнасям се (to have to do with) · got 𐌲𐌰𐌰𐌹𐍃𐍄𐌰𐌽 (to hold in esteem) · bg наблюдавам (to look at; to observe) · sa मन्यते (to look at; to observe) · fr regarder (to have to do with) · es concernir (to have to do with) · bg разглеждам (to consider, look upon in a given way) · gl estimar (to hold in esteem) · sv anser (to consider, look upon in a given way) · fr concerner (to have to do with) · fi katsella (to look at; to observe) · de betreffen (to have to do with) · pt estimar (to hold in esteem) · pt considerar (to consider, look upon in a given way) · pt notar (to take notice of, pay attention to) · grc ἡγέομαι (to consider, look upon in a given way) · it concernere (to have to do with) · bg гледам (to look at; to observe) · pt concernir (to have to do with) · pt contemplar (to look at; to observe) · sv anser (to look at; to observe) · de betrachten (to look at; to observe) · it riguardare (to have to do with) · fi ottaa huomioon (to take notice of, pay attention to) · la aspicio (to look at; to observe) · es tratar (to have to do with) · fi arvostaa (to hold in esteem) · bg уважавам (to hold in esteem) · fi koskea (to have to do with) · fr considérer (to consider, look upon in a given way) · it riguardare (to consider, look upon in a given way) · pt referir (to have to do with) · de ansehen (to look at; to observe) · fi pitää jonakin (to consider, look upon in a given way) · it considerare (to consider, look upon in a given way) · ga dearc ar (to consider, look upon in a given way) · bg взимам под внимание (to take notice of, pay attention to) · de erachten (to consider, look upon in a given way) · la dīligō (to hold in esteem) · ja 留意する (to take notice of, pay attention to) · fi kiinnittää huomiota (to take notice of, pay attention to)