Dictionary
Old' Guard'
1. the imperial guard created in 1804 by Napoleon: it made the last French charge at Waterloo.
2. (in the U.S.) the conservative element of any political party, esp. the Republican party.
3. (
usually l.c.) the influential, established, more conservative members of any body, group, movement, etc.:
the old guard of New York society. Random House Unabridged Dictionary, Copyright © 1997, by Random House, Inc., on Infoplease.