fend
pronunciation
How to pronounce fend in British English:
UK [fend]
How to pronounce fend in American English:
US [fɛnd]
-
- Verb:
- try to manage without help
- withstand the force of something
Word Origin
- fend (v.)
- c. 1300, "defend, guard; protect; put up a fight; excuse or justify; forbid, bar," shortening of defend. From mid-14c. as "make a defense" and (usually with off (adv.)) "ward off, beat off, keep at a distance." Developed a meaning "make provision, give care" in Scottish English (16c.); hence to fend for oneself (1620s) "see to one's own defense." Related: Fended; fending.
Example
- 1. Iran may well be calculating that it has done enough to fend off further sanctions .
- 2. First , she faces pressures to fend off tax-cut calls in her own camp to protect her deficit-cutting goals .
- 3. It might be number one in cameras but that is not enough to fend off the rise of smartphones .
- 4. Mr. paulson was able to fend off such pressures from congress .
- 5. How google responds will determine whether it can fend off years of intensive investigation and-maybe even more important to brin , page , and schmidt-maintain its heroic reputation .