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Webster 1913 Edition

Defend

De-fend′

(dē̍-fĕnd′)
,
Verb.
T.
[
imp. & p. p.
Defended
;
p. pr. & vb. n.
Defending
.]
[F.
défendre
, L.
defendere
;
de-
+
fendere
(only in comp.) to strike; perh. akin to Gr.
θείνειν
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.]
Th’ other strove for to
defend

The force of Vulcan with his might and main.
Spenser.
2.
To prohibit; to forbid.
[Obs.]
Chaucer.
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.
Shakespeare
God
defend
the right!
Shakespeare
A village near it was
defended
by the river.
Clarendon.
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.

Webster 1828 Edition

Defend

DEFEND

, v.t.
1.
To drive from; to thrust back; hence, to deny; to repel a demand, charge, or accusation; to oppose; to resist; the effect of which is to maintain ones own claims.
2.
To forbid; to prohibit; that is, to drive from, or back. Milton calls the forbidden fruit, the defended fruit.
The use of wine in some places is defended by customs or laws.
3.
To drive back a foe or danger; to repel from any thing that which assails or annoys; to protect by opposition or resistance; to support or maintain; to prevent from being injured, or destroyed.
There arose, to defend Israel, Tola the son of Puah. Judges x.
4.
To vindicate; to assert; to uphold; to maintain uninjured, by force or by argument; as, to defend our cause; to defend rights and privileges; to defend reputation.
5.
To secure against attacks or evil; to fortify against danger or violence; to set obstacles to the approach of any thing that can annoy. A garden may be defended by a wall, a hill or a river.

DEFEND

,
Verb.
I.
To make opposition; as, the party comes into court, defends and says.

Definition 2024

défend

défend

See also: defend and defënd

French

Verb

défend

  1. third-person singular present indicative of défendre

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