fend

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fend and prove

dated To argue and defend a point or opinion. I was forced to fend and prove my stance before the tribunal.

fend away

To turn away or deny; to keep something at bay; to fight or ward off. The governor fended away questions about his role in the money laundering scandal. I fended away the blows of my attackers.

fend for (oneself)

To look after or take care of oneself without assistance from anyone else. Moving to a new country for college really made me learn to fend for myself. I won't be home from work until about 9 o'clock, so you and your sister will have to fend for yourselves for dinner.

See also: fend

fend off

1. To fight off someone or something that is advancing. A noun or pronoun can be used between "fend" and "off." What is the best way to fend off an attacker? Her bodyguards tried to fend off all the photographers, but there were too many.

2. To try to prevent something. A noun or pronoun can be used between "fend" and "off." Getting a flu shot will help you to fend off future illness.

fend against (something)

To guard against or ward something off. That's why you get an alarm system—to fend against burglars.

See also: fend

fend for oneself Go to shift for

oneself.

fend someone or something off

to hold someone or something off; to fight someone or something off. We knew we could fend them off only a little while longer. They could not fend off the attackers.

shift for oneself

and fend for oneself

to get along by oneself; to support oneself. I'm sorry, I can't pay your rent anymore. You'll just have to shift for yourself. When I became twenty years old, I left home and began to fend for myself.

shift for oneself

Also, fend for oneself. Provide for one's own needs, as in Don't worry about Anne; she's very good at shifting for herself, or The children had to fend for themselves after school. The first term, using shift in the now obsolete sense of "manage," was first recorded about 1513; the variant, using fend for in the sense of "look after," was first recorded in 1629.

fend against

To protect from something: We wear heavy parkas to fend against the cold wind.

See also: fend

fend for

To provide for, take care of, or defend someone without assistance: We watched the bear fending for her cubs as the hunters approached. I had to fend for myself when I arrived in Europe alone.

See also: fend

fend off

1. To try to prevent something; avert something: To fend off cavities, brush your teeth regularly.

2. To turn something aside; repel something: The troops fended the enemy off. My neighbor fended off the reporters who blocked her driveway.

See also: fend, off

References in periodicals archive ?

MY BALL: Determination on the face of a Coast Soccer player as he fends off a Cramlington challenge at under-11 level (above); FUL OF EFFORT: Sunderland-based Fulwell FC (plain shirts) against Cramlington Juniors Reds in the under-13 competition (left); BLYTH SPIRIT: Blyth Spartans Under-13s (dark shirts) fend off Scottish side Rosyth Colts (right); ON THE ATTACK: Wallsend BC push forward against Wansbeck in an under-13 match (above); WHITE HOT: Cramlington Whites (in white shorts) in possession during their under-13 meeting with Swanside Boys (left and below); TWO AGAINST ONE: More from the Blyth Spartans-Rosyth under-13 match (above)

Rosyth Colts

They are continuing to describe not only how the microbe synthesizes that reinforced cell wall, but also other ways in which the bacterium fends off drugs.

Thompson and his colleagues began with bacteria from the genus Streptomyces, soil bacteria that share an ancestor with Mycobacterium and are champions of producing antibiotics that fend off other microbes.

Target practice: researchers shoot for new treatments against tuberculosis

Ada fends off the evil characters who want her and her farm for themselves.

Together Ada and Ruby develop the farm, make use of the land, fend off the predators, both human and animal, while they wait for Inman's return from the war.

A journey worthy of Ulysses

What: Conservative talk ringmaster Mike Gallagher fields listener calls and fends off stray liberals.

RADIO SHOW OF THE WEEK ``THE MIKE GALLAGHER SHOW''

PAPAYA Plenty of vitamin C which helps the body heal and fends off colds.

BLUEBERRIES One of the superfoods, blueberry's beta-carotene helps promote eye health while its flavanoids help blood circulation and have a strong antioxidant function to fend off a range of illnesses.

Family Life: Feel the benefits of getting fruity; NUTRITION: Boost your vitamin intake with a rainbow diet Fitness

It also fends off infection-causing fungi and bacteria.

A better band-aid?

CHARLES Worthington fends off humidity with its Curl Protector Mousse for pounds 4.

50) is a leave-in cream which can be applied to wet or dry hair to fend off the sun's harmful rays.