to defend or guard from attack, invasion, loss, annoyance, insult, etc.; cover or shield from injury or danger.
2.
Economics. to guard (the industry or an industry of a nation) from foreign competition by imposing import duties.
3.
to provide funds for the payment of (a draft, note, etc.).
–verb (used without object)
4.
to provide, or be capable of providing, protection: a floor wax that protects as well as shines.
[Origin: 1520–30; < L prōtéctus, ptp. of prōtegere to cover in front, equiv. to prō-pro-1+ teg-, s. of tegere to cover (akin to toga, thatch) + -tus ptp. suffix]
to guard or defend from danger; to keep safe Example: She protected the children from every danger; Which type of helmet protects the head best?; He wore a fur jacket to protect himself against the cold.
De*fend"\, v. t. [imp. & p. p. Defended; p. pr. & vb. n. Defending.] [F. d['e]fendre, L. defendere; de- + fendere (only in comp.) to strike; perh. akin to Gr. ? 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. Usage: 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.