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Antonyms for defend


Grammar : Verb
Spell : dih-fend
Phonetic Transcription : dɪˈfɛnd



Definition of defend

Origin :
  • mid-13c., from Old French defendre (12c.) "defend, resist," and directly from Latin defendere "ward off, protect, guard, allege in defense," from de- "from, away" (see de-) + -fendere "to strike, push," from PIE root *gwhen- "to strike, kill" (see bane). In the Mercian hymns, Latin defendet is glossed by Old English gescildeð. Related: Defended; defending.
  • verb protect
  • verb show support for
Example sentences :
  • To defend and avenge each other, is the deep feeling of all.
  • Extract from : « The Exploring Expedition to the Rocky Mountains, Oregon and California » by Brevet Col. J.C. Fremont
  • Will you then defend a man in speaking things that are not true?
  • Extract from : « Weighed and Wanting » by George MacDonald
  • She challenged his philosophy and gave him a chance to defend it.
  • Extract from : « K » by Mary Roberts Rinehart
  • Naturally he felt called upon to endorse his heroine, to defend her.
  • Extract from : « Quaint Courtships » by Various
  • That brute of a Bouquet came spying about my castle, and I did but defend myself.
  • Extract from : « The Boy Life of Napoleon » by Eugenie Foa
  • Uncle Joey Fesch joined him, as if to protect and defend him.
  • Extract from : « The Boy Life of Napoleon » by Eugenie Foa
  • This Bouquet is a rascal who will be more likely to end in the Bastille than I, who did but defend my own.
  • Extract from : « The Boy Life of Napoleon » by Eugenie Foa
  • Why don't they defend it on the flank also, even with arrows?
  • Extract from : « The Leopard Woman » by Stewart Edward White
  • She defended the weak because they were weak, whereas he would have had her defend the truth because it was the truth.
  • Extract from : « The Foolish Lovers » by St. John G. Ervine
  • Now that you are upon your guard, your own prudence will defend you sufficiently.
  • Extract from : « Tales And Novels, Volume 3 (of 10) » by Maria Edgeworth

Synonyms for defend

Based on : Thesaurus.com - Gutenberg.org - Dictionary.com - Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2019