defend (oneself or someone) with (something)

defend (oneself or someone) with (something)

To use something to protect (someone or something) against a physical attack. When John realized that a burglar was in the house, he tried to defend himself with a baseball bat. I tried to defend myself with a beer bottle, but I just ended up gashing my hand when the bottle smashed. A: "Hey, it's just me, it's just me! Whoa, were you really going to defend yourself with a lamp?" B: "Well, I thought you were breaking in, and it was the first thing I could grab!"

See also: defend

Farlex Dictionary of Idioms. © 2024 Farlex, Inc, all rights reserved.

defend someone with something

to repel danger from someone with something. Here, defend yourself with this club. Mary defended herself with karate.

See also: defend

McGraw-Hill Dictionary of American Idioms and Phrasal Verbs. © 2002 by The McGraw-Hill Companies, Inc.