vaward

Inherited from Middle English vawarde, late form of vantwarde, aphetism of Anglo-Norman avantwarde, a variant of Old French avant-guarde. Doublet of avant-garde and vanguard.

• (Received Pronunciation) IPA^(key): /ˈvɔːwəd/
• (General American) IPA^(key): /ˈvɔwɚd/, /ˈvɑwɚd/

vaward (plural vawards)

1. The vanguard.
   • 1485, Sir Thomas Malory, chapter X, in Le Morte Darthur, book II:

     THenne kyng Arthur made redy his hoost in x batails and Nero was redy in the felde afore the castel Tarabil with a grete hoost / & he had x batails with many mo peple than Arthur had / Thenne Nero had the vaward with the moost party of his peple / & merlyn cam to kyng lot of the yle of Orkeney

     THEN King Arthur made ready his host in ten battles and Nero was ready in the field afore the Castle Terrabil with a great host, and he had ten battles, with many more people than Arthur had. Then Nero had the vanguard with the most part of his people, and Merlin came to King Lot of the Isle of Orkney

   • 1988, Anthony Burgess, Any Old Iron:

     Then they were marched off to the railway station with the band in the vaward playing ‘Have you ever caught your ballocks in a rat trap?’

vaward (not comparable)

1. On or towards the front; vanward.