English Dictionary
Definition of “defend”
defend (dɪˈfɛnd
)
Definitions
verb
- to protect (a person, place, etc) from harm or danger; ward off an attack on
- (tr) to support in the face of criticism, esp by argument or evidence
- to represent (a defendant) in court in a civil or criminal action
- sport to guard or protect (oneself, one's goal, etc) against attack
- (tr) to protect (a championship or title) against a challenge
Alternative Forms
deˈfendable adjective deˈfender noun Word Origin
C13: from Old French defendre, from Latin dēfendere to ward off, from de- + -fendere to strike
Synonyms
View thesaurus entry
=
protect,
cover,
guard,
screen,
secure,
preserve,
look after,
shelter,
shield,
harbour,
safeguard,
fortify,
ward off,
watch over,
stick up for,
keep safe give sanctuary=
support,
champion,
justify,
maintain,
sustain,
plead for
endorse,
assert,
stand by,
uphold,
vindicate,
stand up for,
espouse,
speak up for
stick up for,
Translations
- British English:
defend
If you defend someone or something, you take action to protect them.He and his friends defended themselves against the attackers.dɪˈfɛnd VERB He and his friends defended themselves against the attackers.
- Spanish:
defender
v
- French:
défendre
vt
- German:
verteidigen
v
- Chinese: 保卫 v
- Arabic: يُدَافِعُ v
- Portuguese: defender v
- Russian: защищать v
- Croatian: braniti v
- Czech: ochránit v chránit
- Danish: forsvare v
- Dutch: verdedigen v
- Finnish: puolustaa v
- Greek: υπερασπίζομαι v
- Italian: difendere v
- Japanese: 防御する v
- Korean: 방어하다 v
- Norwegian: forsvare v
- Polish: obronić v bronić
- Brazilian Portuguese: defender v
- European Spanish:
defender
v
- Swedish: försvara v
- Thai: แก้ตัว v
- Turkish: savunmak v
- Vietnamese: bảo vệ v
Usage examples
Tarja wanted to scream at the hapless Karien horde to do something, anything, to defend themselves.
Jennifer Fallon, TREASON KEEP (2001)We appear to be fast upwind, so we want to be first to the top mark and then defend rather than have to attack.
Yachting Boating World (2004)The alliance is also expected to draw up a shopping list of military kit to defend against weapons of mass destruction.
Irish Times (2002)SCOTLAND has agreed to let squash defector Peter Nicol defend his Commonwealth title in England's colours next year in Manchester.
Glasgow Herald (2001)The meaning we create to defend ourselves can come in the form of an instruction to us.
Dorothy Rowe, BEYOND FEAR (2002)
