old guard

the old guard

The established, longtime members of a country, organization, or ideological position, who are resistant to any change within that arena. There are a lot of good ideas being proposed, but the old guard of the party have resisted their adoption.
See also: guard, old
Farlex Dictionary of Idioms.

the old guard

COMMON If you call a group of people the old guard, you mean they have worked in an organization for a very long time. Note: Your guard is the position that you get in when you are ready to defend yourself in sports such as boxing or fencing. The reforms were fiercely opposed by many in the ruling party's old guard. The company's old guard is at last stepping aside, making way for a new, more youthful team. Note: You often use this expression to show that you disapprove of such people because they are unwilling to accept new ideas or practices. Note: The original `Old Guard' consisted of the most experienced regiments of Napoleon Bonaparte's Imperial Guard. These soldiers were considered to be the best in the French army.
See also: guard, old
Collins COBUILD Idioms Dictionary, 3rd ed.

the ˌold ˈguard

the original or older members of a group or an organization, who are often against change but whose ideas and ways of working are being replaced: The old guard in European politics is being challenged by fresh new ideas.
See also: guard, old
Farlex Partner Idioms Dictionary

old guard

The established, conservative members of any movement or party, who tend to resist any change. The term is a translation of Vieille Garde (French for “old guard”), the name given to Napoleon’s Imperial Guard, who were the elite veteran regiments of his army and intensely loyal to him. It was they who made the last French charge at Waterloo. The name began to be used for American political conservatives in the early 1840s.
See also: guard, old
The Dictionary of Clichés by Christine Ammer
See also:
  • the old guard
  • an iron curtain
  • iron curtain
  • new wine in old bottles
  • new wine in old wineskins
  • wineskin
  • of the old school
  • from the old school
  • the old school
  • secede from (something or some place)
References in periodicals archive
They can no longer afford to be known as the parties of the status quo; they can no longer count on the old guard to take them forward.
No country for old men
Things are much more in his favour here but he's a bit like Old Guard in that he continues to find one or two too good whatever race he runs in and so the one to be on is Ballymoy.
Progressive Ballymoy can bounce back with National Spirit success
Second to Verdana Blue at Kempton in October, Old Guard again took the silver behind Nautical Nitwit in the bet365 Hurdle at Wetherby the following month.
ON GUARD! NEWSBOY'S ITV4 SELECTIONS; Ice-cool Frost can steer Nicholls star to International double at Cheltenham
TAXILA -- Old guards as well as new faces have filed nomination papers for NA-63 (Rawalpindi VII), comprising Taxila and Wah, and PP-3 Hassanabdal by-election.
Candidates file nomination papers for NA-63, PP-3 by-polls
Mongilutz recounts his nearly four years in the Third US Infantry Regiment--"The Old Guard" or "Escort to the President"--from 2000 to 2004.
Solemn Duty in the Old Guard: From Arlington National Cemetery to the Pentagon on 9/11 in America's Oldest Regiment
'Not many new candidates because the old guard are still accepted by the people including me,' he told reporters after closing the 'Jom Ride For Tok Nan' programme at Felda Sungai Kemahal here today.
Pahang BN retains old guard
Old Guard has certainly not been running badly this season, winning twice in six starts, including at Listed level at Kempton back in October.
On Guard for another fine day
With Old Guard none the worse, he turned out just 11 days later for the 188Bet Best Mate Beginners' Chase and was a 1-2 favourite to reignite his career.
Old Guard gets off the mark
The Ditcheat handler had intended to wait until this morning before making a final call on Old Guard's participation, but he opted to withdraw him from the race last night, with attention now focussed on trying to get the son of Notnowcato fit for Aintree next month.
Old Guard out of Champion Hurdle
Sam Twiston-Davies would have a big decision to make if Old Guard (Paul Nicholls) and The New One (Nigel Twiston-Davies) are both declared.
Faugheen red hot for Christmas
Old Guard continued his rise through the ranks with a battling success in the International Hurdle at Cheltenham.
GUARD OF HONOUR; Nicholls' rising star enters the reckoning for Champion glory
I read in the latest edition that you are thinking of hanging up your skates and wrapping up your "Old Guard" column.
A note from the CDS
Infantry Regiment (The Old Guard) provides one of the premier broadening opportunities to sharpen minds and develop differing perspectives for adaptable and agile Army leaders.
Broadening leaders, sharpening minds, and developing differing perspectives
To view the photo gallery, click here But rioting broke out in one southern city, with police firing teargas to disperse hundreds of youths who burned tyres and blocked streets to demonstrate against the victory of an official from Ben Ali's old guard. Essebsi beat rival and incumbent Moncef Marzouki with 55.68 per cent of the vote against 44.32 per cent, the results showed.
Veteran Tunisian politician Essebsi wins presidential elections
TEHRAN (FNA)- Tunisian police fired teargas on Monday in a Southern city to disperse hundreds of youths who burned tires and blocked streets to demonstrate against an official from the old guard who declared he had won Sunday's presidential vote, residents said.
Clashes in South Tunisia after Essebsi Claims Victory