safeguard against

safeguard against (someone or something)

1. To do what is necessary to ward off someone or something or to ensure that something bad does not happen. These trains have multiple fail-safes built into them to safeguard against derailing or losing control. I'm probably paranoid, but I always lock both the front and rear wheels of my bike to safeguard against theft, even if I'm just going into a store for five minutes.
2. To put protections in place to ward off someone or something from someone or something else or to ensure that something bad does not happen to someone or something. In this usage, a noun or pronoun is used between "safeguard" and "against." I know you want to safeguard your kids against any and all pain, but you can't shield them from everything, nor should you. Our security company specializes in safeguarding small businesses against burglars.
See also: safeguard
Farlex Dictionary of Idioms.

safeguard someone or something against someone or something

to protect someone or something against someone or something. We will take action that will safeguard you against a recurrence of the unpleasantness. I will safeguard my family against the prowler.
See also: safeguard

safeguard against someone or something

to protect against someone or something. We will try to safeguard against accidents. How can I safeguard against prowlers?
See also: safeguard
McGraw-Hill Dictionary of American Idioms and Phrasal Verbs.
See also:
  • (someone or something) promises well
  • (I) wouldn't (do something) if I were you
  • a/the feel of (something)
  • a necessary evil
  • (have) got something going (with someone)
  • a straw will show which way the wind blows
  • a whack at (something)
  • accompanied by
  • accompanied by (someone or something)
  • accompany
References in classic literature
The Union as a Safeguard Against Domestic Faction and Insurrection For the Independent Journal.
Federalist Papers Authored by Alexander Hamilton
The Same Subject Continued (The Union as a Safeguard Against Domestic Faction and Insurrection) From the Daily Advertiser.
Federalist Papers Authored by James Madison
There was no need of other safeguard against me--the safeguard of wealth was enough."
Middlemarch
The captain made light of his counsels, and pointed to his cannon and fire-arms as sufficient safeguard against naked savages.
Astoria or Anecdotes of an enterprise beyond the Rocky Mountain
I have never heard that poverty was any safeguard against it.
Vanity Fair
Never, I ween, through any heedlessness of his nurse shall witchcraft hurt him nor yet the Undercutter (8): for I know a charm far stronger than the Woodcutter, and I know an excellent safeguard against woeful witchcraft.'
Collection Of Hesiod Homer and Homerica
But they considered the lama's presence a perfect safeguard against all consequences, and impenitently brought Kim of their best - even to a drink of chang - the barley-beer that comes from Ladakh-way.
Kim
Religion forms the only adequate safeguard against the abuse of supreme power.
The Country Doctor
The one safeguard against Admiral Bartram's constitutional tendency to somnambulism was the watch and ward which his faithful old servant kept outside his door.
No Name
Mnuchin warned Facebook that it should take proper measures to safeguard against the currency being used for illicit activity. 
Mnuchin Voices Money Laundering Concerns About Facebook's Libra
The abolition of the graft-ridden Road Board will 'streamline our bureaucracy and safeguard against corruption,' Senator Sherwin Gatchalian said Tuesday.
Gatchalian: Road Board abolition to streamline bureaucracy
September 21, 2014 (KHARTOUM) -- The African Union-United Nations Mission in Darfur (UNAMID) has put in place preventive measures to safeguard against Ebola epidemic in Sudan.
UNAMID steps up Ebola preventive measures in Sudan
With no direct ventilation holes to minimise the potential burn risk and over-locked outer fabric to safeguard against internal ignition, the cap offers wearers optimum protection.w| www.scottsafety.com
Flame retardant bump cap
Designed to safeguard against environmental ingress, the connector provides a leak-tight tube fitting connection between sections of single jacketed tubing, eliminating the need for sleeves and sealing tape.
Swagelok