Defend
Pronunciation
- UK IPA: /dɪˈfɛnd/
- US IPA: /dɛˈfɛnd/, /diˈfɛnd/, /dəˈfɛnd/
- Rhymes: -ɛnd
Origin
Middle English defenden, from Old French deffendre (Modern: défendre), from Latin dēfendŠ("to ward off").
Full definition of defend
Verb
- (transitive, obsolete) To ward off, repel (an attack or attacker).
- 1590, Edmund Spenser, The Faerie Queene, II.viii:The vertue is, that neither steele, nor stone
The stroke thereof from entrance may defend .... - (transitive, obsolete) To prevent, to keep (from doing something).
- (transitive, intransitive, obsolete) To prohibit, forbid.
- 1485, Sir Thomas Malory, Le Morte Darthur, Book VII:"Brother," seyde Sir Launcelot, "wyte you well I am full loth to departe oute of thys reallme, but the quene hath defended me so hyghly that mesemyth she woll never be my good lady as she hath bene."
- (transitive) To ward off attacks from; to fight to protect; to guard.
- (transitive) To support by words or writing; to vindicate, talk in favour of.
- (transitive, legal) To make legal defence of; to represent (the accused).
- 2011, December 14, Steven Morris, Devon woman jailed for 168 days for killing kitten in microwave, Philip Miles, defending, said: "This was a single instance, there was no allegation of continuing behaviour over a long period of time."
- (sports) To focus one's energies and talents on preventing opponents from scoring, as opposed to focusing on scoring.
- (sports) To attempt to retain a title, or attempt to reach the same stage in a competition as one did in the previous edition of that competition.
- (poker slang) To call a raise from the big blind.