Standard Lemma guide

molly-guard

noun · 1 senses · updated from the 2026-07-25 local source snapshot

Definitions and examples are grouped by meaning. Pronunciation, history, word forms, translations, descendants, synonyms, antonyms, derived terms, and related words appear whenever the source provides them.

Sound

Pronunciation

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  • UK: /ˈmɒli ɡɑːd/
  • US: /ˈmɑli ɡɑɹd/

1

noun

Meaning 1

A physical barrier to protect something from unwanted contact, especially a shield to prevent accidental tripping of an emergency shutdown or power switch.

Definition source: English Wiktionary via Wiktextract

Examples

  • There is a plastic molly-guard covering the escalator's shutdown button to prevent little kids from pushing it and stopping the escalator.
  • 1998 August 10, kensmark, “Vi versus Word. The pros and cons (or why does Vi remiond me of a bigger version of notepad?)”, rec.arts.sf.composition, Usenet, Therefore, we have many "molly guards," which are kludged covers that protect the on/off switch and keep you from hitting it by accident.

Meaning relationships

Synonyms: none provided

Antonyms: none provided

History

Etymology

From Molly (female given name) + guard. Originally a Plexiglas cover improvised for the Big Red Switch on an IBM 4341 mainframe after a programmer's toddler daughter (named Molly) tripped it twice in one day. Later generalised to covers over stop/reset switches on disk drives and networking equipment.