fend

• POS: Noun, Verb (intransitive), Verb (transitive)

CIDE DICTIONARY

fend, n. 

 A fiend.  Chaucer.  [1913 Webster]

fend, v. t. [Abbrev. fr. defend.].

 To keep off; to prevent from entering or hitting; to ward off; to shut out; -- often with off; as, to fend off blows.  [1913 Webster]
"With fern beneath to fend the bitter cold."  [1913 Webster]

To fend off a boat or To fend off a vessel (Naut.), to prevent its running against anything with too much violence.

fend, v. i. 

 To act on the defensive, or in opposition; to resist; to parry; to shift off.  [1913 Webster]
"The dexterous management of terms, and being able to fend . . . with them, passes for a great part of learning."  [1913 Webster]

OXFORD DICTIONARY

fend, v.
1 intr. (foll. by for) look after (esp. oneself).
2 tr. (usu. foll. by off) keep away; ward off (an attack etc.).

Etymology

ME f. DEFEND

THESAURUS

fend

anticipate, arm, armor, avert, bar, beat off, bless, block, bulwark, champion, check, cloak, compass about, copyright, counter, cover, cushion, debar, defend, deflect, deter, discourage, dishearten, divert, drive back, ensure, estop, exclude, fence, fend off, forbid, foreclose, forestall, get by, guarantee, guard, harbor, haven, help, hinder, hold at bay, hold off, insure, keep, keep at bay, keep from, keep from harm, keep off, make do, make out, make safe, nestle, obstruct, obviate, parry, patent, police, preclude, prevent, prohibit, protect, push back, put back, rebuff, register, repel, repulse, resist, ride shotgun for, rule out, safeguard, save, screen, secure, shelter, shield, shroud, stave off, stop, turn aside, underwrite, ward off

ROGET THESAURUS

fend

Defense

VB defend, forfend, fend, shield, screen, shroud, engarrison, fend round, fence, entrench, intrench, guard, guard against, take care of, bear harmless, fend off, keep off, ward off, beat off, beat back, hinder, parry, repel, propugn, put to flight, give a warm reception to, hold at bay, keep at bay, keep arm's length, stand on the defensive, act on the defensive, show fight, maintain one's ground, stand one's ground, stand by, hold one's own, bear the brunt, stand the brunt, fall back upon, hold, stand in the gap.