| Defend 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. Thesaurus Entries account, advocate, air, allege in support, answer, argue, argue for, arm, armor, assert, avert, back, battle, bless, bulwark, champion, claim, cloak, compass about, conserve, contend, contend for, copyright, counter, cover, cushion, ensure, espouse, explain, express, fence, fend, fend off, fight, fight for, flank, fortify, guarantee, guard, guard against, harbor, haven, insure, justify, keep, keep from harm, keep safe, maintain, make a plea, make safe, nestle, oppose, parry, patent, plead for, police, preserve, prevent, protect, rationalize, rebut, refute, register, reply, resist, respond, ride shotgun for, riposte, safeguard, save, say in defense, screen, secure, shelter, shield, shroud, speak for, speak up for, stand by, stand up for, stick up for, support, sustain, underwrite, uphold, urge reasons for, utter, vent, vindicate, voice, war, ward, ward off, warrant, watch over, withstand |