Thesaurus: defend

Related headwords

Definitions

1. v. t. To ward or fend off; to drive back or away; to repel.
2. v. t. To prohibit; to forbid.
3. v. t. 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.
4. v. t. 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.
5. v. argue or speak in defense of
6. v. be on the defensive; act against an attack
7. v. protect against a challenge or attack
8. v. fight against or resist strongly
9. v. protect or fight for as a champion
10. v. be the defense counsel for someone in a trial
11. v. state or assert
12. 1. To ward or fend off; to drive back or away; to repel. [A Latinism & Obs.] Th' other strove for to defend The force of Vulcan with his might and main. Spenser. 2. To prohibit; to forbid. [Obs.] Chaucer. 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. The lord mayor craves aid . . . to defend the city. Shak. God defend the right! Shak. A village near it was defended by the river. Clarendon. 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. As birds flying, so will the Lord of hosts defend Jerusalem; defending also he will deliver it. Is. xxxi. 5. Leave not the faithful side That gave thee being, still shades thee and protects. Milton.