Defend
De*fend"
(d*fnd"), v. t. [imp. & p. p. Defended; p. pr. & vb. n. Defending.] [F. dfendre, L. defendere; de- + fendere (only in comp.) to strike; perh. akin to Gr. qei`nein to strike, and E. dint. Cf. Dint, Defense, Fend.] 1. To ward or fend off; to drive back or away; to repel. [A Latinism & Obs.][1913 Webster]
Th' other strove for to defendSpenser.
The force of Vulcan with his might and main.
[1913 Webster]
2. To prohibit; to forbid.
[Obs.]
Chaucer.
[1913 Webster]
Which God defend that I should wring from him.Shak.
3. To repel danger or harm from; to protect; to secure against attack; to maintain against force or argument; to uphold; to guard; as, to
defend a town; to
defend a cause; to
defend character; to
defend the absent; -- sometimes followed by from or against; as, to
defend one's self from, or against, one's enemies.
[1913 Webster]
The lord mayor craves aid . . . to defend the city.Shak.
[1913 Webster]
God defend the right!Shak.
[1913 Webster]
A village near it was defended by the river.Clarendon.
[1913 Webster]
4. (Law.) To deny the right of the plaintiff in regard to (the suit, or the wrong charged); to oppose or resist, as a claim at law; to contest, as a suit. Burrill.
Syn. -- To Defend, Protect. To defend is literally to ward off; to protect is to cover so as to secure against approaching danger. We defend those who are attacked; we protect those who are liable to injury or invasion. A fortress is defended by its guns, and protected by its wall.
[1913 Webster]
As birds flying, so will the Lord of hosts defend Jerusalem; defending also he will deliver it.Is. xxxi. 5.
[1913 Webster]
Leave not the faithful sideMilton.
That gave thee being, still shades thee and protects.
[1913 Webster]
New - Add Dictionary Search to Your Site
You can add a free dictionary search box to your own web site by copying and pasting the following HTML into one of your web pages:
<form action="http://www.freedict.co.uk/search.php" method="post"> <p style="text-align: center; font-family: sans-serif;"> <a style="font-weight: bold;" href="http://www.freedict.co.uk/" title="FreeDict free online dictionary">FreeDict</a> <input type="text" name="word" size="20" value="" /> <input type="submit" name="submit" value="Search Dictionary" /> </p> </form>
a b c d e f g h i j k l m n o p q r s t u v w x y z
Tue 13th April 2021