Defend

• POS: Verb (usu participle), Verb (transitive)
• HYPHEN: de=fend

OXFORD DICTIONARY

Defend, v.tr. (also absol.)
1 (often foll. by against, from) resist an attack made on; protect (a person or thing) from harm or danger.
2 support or uphold by argument; speak or write in favour of.
3 conduct the case for (a defendant in a lawsuit).

Derivative

defendable adj. defender n.

Etymology

ME f. OF defendre f. L defendere: cf. OFFEND

THESAURUS

Defend

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

ROGET THESAURUS

Defend

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.

Vindication

N vindication, justification, warrant, exoneration, exculpation, acquittal, whitewashing, extenuation, palliation, palliative, softening, mitigation, reply, defense, recrimination, apology, gloss, varnish, plea, salvo, excuse, extenuating circumstances, allowance, allowance to be made, locus paenitentiae, apologist, vindicator, justifier, defendant, justifiable charge, true bill, v, justify, warrant, be an excuse for, lend a color, furnish a handle, vindicate, exculpate, disculpate, acquit, clear, set right, exonerate, whitewash, clear the skirts of, extenuate, palliate, excuse, soften, apologize, varnish, slur, gloze, put a gloss, put a good face upon, mince, gloss over, bolster up, help a lame dog over a stile, advocate, defend, plead one's cause, stand up for, stick up for, speak up for, contend for, speak for, bear out, keep in countenance, support, plead, say in defense, plead ignorance, confess and avoid, propugn, put in a good word for, take the will for the deed, make allowance for, give credit for, do justice to, give one his due, give the Devil his due, make good, prove the truth of, prove one's case, be justified by the event, vindicated, vindicating, exculpatory, apologetic, excusable, defensible, pardonable, venial, veniable, specious, plausible, justifiable, honi sot qui mal y pense, good wine needs no bush.