defend

Fetched 2026-10-26 (cache).

Synonyms: depend, debend, defund

Antonyms: depend, debend, defund

Related words from Datamuse; suggestions, not definitions.

Verb

1. {{lb|en|ditransitive}} To [[ward off]] attacks against; to fight to protect; to [[guard]].
2. {{lb|en|transitive}} To [[support]] by words or writing; to [[vindicate]], talk in favour of.
3. {{lb|en|transitive|legal}} To make legal defence of; to [[represent]] (the accused).
4. {{lb|en|sports}} To focus one's energies and talents on [[prevent]]ing opponents from scoring, as opposed to focusing on scoring.
5. {{lb|en|cricket}} Mostly in [[tests]]. The action of not putting [[force]] into hitting a [[shot]], but to conserve [[energy]] and wear down [[bowlers]] so they can [[attack]] later.
6. {{lb|en|sports}} To attempt to retain a title, or attempt to reach the same stage in a competition as one did in the previous instance of that competition.
7. {{lb|en|poker slang}} To [[call]] a [[raise]] from the [[big blind]].
8. {{lb|en|transitive|obsolete}} To [[ward off]], [[repel]] (an attack or attacker).
9. {{lb|en|transitive|obsolete}} To [[prevent]], to [[keep]] (from doing something).
10. {{lb|en|transitive|intransitive|obsolete}} To [[prohibit]], [[forbid]].

Source: Wiktionary · CC BY-SA 4.0 (Wiktionary dump) · cached copy, not a rewrite.