Fend

/fɛnd/

Meaning & Definition

verb

to ward off or defend against something.

She raised her arm to fend off the rain.

to manage without help.

He learned to fend for himself after moving out.

to resist or take care of oneself.

They had to fend for themselves during the power outage.

Middle English, from Old English 'fendan', meaning 'to defend'.

fend for oneself

To take care of oneself without assistance.

fend off

To repel or resist an unwanted action or force.

fend against

To protect oneself from a particular threat or danger.

defense

The action of defending from or resisting attack.

protector

A person or thing that protects.

resistance

The refusal to accept or comply.

To manage or cope with a situation or problem.

I had to fend for myself after my travel plans fell through.

To deal with an issue effectively.

She knows how to fend in tough business negotiations.