defend
American Heritage Dictionary:
Top
de·fend
(dĭ-fĕnd') 
v., -fend·ed, -fend·ing, -fends. v.tr.
defender de·fend'er n.
v., -fend·ed, -fend·ing, -fends. v.tr.
- To make or keep safe from danger, attack, or harm.
- Sports.
- To attempt to prevent the opposition from scoring while playing in or near (a goal or area of a field, for example).
- To be responsible for guarding (an opposing player).
- To compete against a challenger in an attempt to retain (a championship).
- To support or maintain, as by argument or action; justify.
- Law.
- To represent (a defendant) in a civil or criminal action.
- To attempt to disprove or invalidate (an action or claim).
- To make a defense.
- Sports. To play defense.
[Middle English defenden, from Old French defendre, from Latin dēfendere, to ward off.]
defendable de·fend'a·ble adj.defender de·fend'er n.
SYNONYMS defend, protect, guard, preserve, shield, safeguard. These verbs mean to make or keep safe from danger, attack, or harm. Defend implies repelling an attack: defending her territory; defended his reputation. Protect often suggests providing a barrier to discomfort, injury, or attack: bought a dog to protect the children; wore sunglasses to protect her eyes. Guard suggests keeping watch: guarded the house against intruders. To preserve is to take measures to maintain something in safety: ecologists working to preserve our natural resources. Shield suggests protecting with a piece of defensive armor: hid the newspaper to shield me from the bad news. Safeguard stresses protection against potential danger: The Bill of Rights safeguards our individual liberties.
Roget's Thesaurus:
Top
defend
verb
- To keep safe from danger, attack, or harm: guard, preserve, protect, safeguard, secure, shield, ward. Archaic fend. See attack/defend.
- To support against arguments, attack, or criticism: apologize, justify, maintain, vindicate. Idioms: speak up for, stand up for, stick up for. See support/oppose.
Antonyms by Answers.com:
Top
defend
v
Definition: protect
Antonyms: abandon, attack, desert, leave, quit, relinquish, resign, surrender
v
Definition: show support for
Antonyms: deny, forsake, renounce
Word Tutor:
Top
defend
IN BRIEF: To keep safe from harm or danger.
She learned karate to defend herself.
LearnThatWord.com is a free vocabulary and spelling program where you only pay for results!
Random House Word Menu:
Top
categories related to 'defender'
Translations:
Top
Defend
Dansk (Danish)
v. tr. - forsvare, støtte, beskytte, være forsvarer for
v. intr. - forsvare
Nederlands (Dutch)
verdedigen, verhoeden
Français (French)
v. tr. - défendre contre, (Jur, Sport) défendre, (fig) prendre le parti de, justifier
v. intr. - (Sport) être en défense, défendre
Deutsch (German)
v. - verteidigen, schützen, rechtfertigen
Ελληνική (Greek)
v. - υπερασπίζομαι, προασπίζω, προστατεύω, (αθλοπ.) αμύνομαι, (νομ.) υπερασπίζω (ως συνήγορος)
Português (Portuguese)
v. - defender
Русский (Russian)
защищать, оборонять
Español (Spanish)
v. tr. - defender, proteger, salvaguardar, contender, retener
v. intr. - defender, abogar
Svenska (Swedish)
v. - försvara
中文（简体）(Chinese (Simplified))
防护, 防卫, 辩护, 防御, 保护, 保卫, 进行辩护
中文（繁體）(Chinese (Traditional))
v. tr. - 防護, 防衛, 辯護
v. intr. - 防禦, 保護, 保衛, 進行辯護
한국어 (Korean)
v. tr. - 수비하다, 변호하다, 방어하다
v. intr. - 항변하다, (운동 경기에서) 자리를 지키다
日本語 (Japanese)
v. - 守る, 擁護する, 弁護する
العربيه (Arabic)
(فعل) يحمي شئ من الأذى, يدافع عن شئ
עברית (Hebrew)
v. tr. - הגן על
v. intr. - הגן על
If you are unable to view some languages clearly, click here.
Post a question - any question - to the WikiAnswers community:
Copyrights:
American Heritage Dictionary
The American Heritage® Dictionary of the English Language, Fourth Edition Copyright © 2007, 2000 by Houghton Mifflin Company. Updated in 2009. Published by Houghton Mifflin Company. All rights reserved.
Read more
Roget's Thesaurus
Roget's II: The New Thesaurus, Third Edition by the Editors of the American Heritage® Dictionary Copyright © 1995 byHoughton Mifflin Company. Published by Houghton Mifflin Company. All rights reserved.
Read more
Word Tutor
Copyright © 2004-present by eSpindle Learning, a 501(c) nonprofit organization. All rights reserved.
eSpindle provides personalized spelling and vocabulary tutoring online; sign up free. Read more
eSpindle provides personalized spelling and vocabulary tutoring online; sign up free. Read more
Random House Word Menu
© 2010 Write Brothers Inc. Word Menu is a registered trademark of the Estate of Stephen Glazier.
Write Brothers Inc.
All rights reserved.
Read more
