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Here is a sentence and it has the expression 'to see someone to bed'

Last night her bodyguard saw her to bed.

These are my guess.

(1) He took her to bed to make her good sleep.

(2) He just saw her sleep in the bed.

(3) He was watching when she went to bed

Could anyone give me some explanation for this expression?

Thanks!

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18

To see {someone} to {destination}|{into a place}

means to accompany them to the destination, for example, to ensure that they reach the destination safely, or because good manners or protocol dictate that they be so accompanied.

Her bodyguard saw her to the car.

The usher saw the wedding guests to their seats.

The nurse saw the patient into the examination room.

P.S. Compare the use of the verb see where it means "assume responsibility for (doing) something".

The house-sitter agreed to see that their plants were watered.

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  • 1
    There is also to see out - to go to the door with someone who is leaving. – ColleenV♦ Jan 1 '18 at 13:10
  • Saw her to bed or saw her to the bed? – dan Jan 1 '18 at 13:25
  • It is "saw her to bed" but would that be a different meaning with 'the'? – Park Mike Jan 1 '18 at 13:26
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    @dan: to bed and to the bed mean different things. It's a question often asked here on ELL. "To the bed" refers to a specific actual bed: The nurse put an extra pillow on the bed. Whereas to bed refers abstractly to the action of going to one's sleep or rest. Goodnight, everyone, I am going to bed. – Tᴚoɯɐuo Jan 1 '18 at 13:33
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    @dan The answers to Why is there no article “the” before “bed” in “in bed”? might help – ColleenV♦ Jan 1 '18 at 13:36

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