De*fend" (d&esl;*f&ebreve;nd"), v. 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. 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.]
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.
