advance guard
Noun
Meaning
A unit or units leading the way of advancing or marching troops, guarding them from ambushes, reconnoitering and pursuing the enemy, etc.
An individual soldier in the same role.
advance-guard (plural advance-guards)
Alternative spelling of advance guard
Alternative names
advance-guard
Synonyms
Antonyms
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Social democracy... is only the advance guard of the proletariat, a small piece of the total working masses; blood from their blood, and flesh from their flesh.
The advance guard in the campaign for peace that America wages today must be the State Department.
An advance guard of U.S. forces under former Confederate General Joseph Wheeler ignored Cuban scouting parties and orders to proceed with caution.
Hardin (1994), p. 120. When scouts brought word on February 23 that the Mexican advance guard was in sight, the unprepared Texians gathered what food they could find in town and fell back to the Alamo.
As they prepared to leave on March 18, Urrea's advance guard arrived.
The advance guard fought a pitched battle with Incan troops in front of the city, but the battle had ended before Pizarro arrived with the rest of the Spanish party.