(a) To fight in defense of (sth.), defend (sb.) by fighting; fight defensively; ~ from, defend against (sb.); (b) refl. to defend oneself; also, put up a fight; ~ ayen, ~ fro, defend oneself against; (c) to get revenge; refl. avenge oneself; ~ of, take vengeance for (an injury).

To cover (sth.), shelter; protect (sth.) by covering; fortify (a town); -- with ayenes, fro, from, of; refl. cover oneself, shelter oneself; fig. conceal (fraud).

(a) To protect (sb., sth.); -- with ayen, from, of; -- also refl.; (b) to protect (from spiritual enemies, folly, sin, temptation, love, trickery, disease, death, etc.), save (sb.); of virtue: defend (itself); God you ~, may God protect you; Jesus(Loverd) ~ us, may Jesus (the Lord) protect us; Mahoun the ~, Mahomet protect thee; -- with ayen(es, fro, from, of, out of; -- also refl.

To defend (sb.) with words, support; speak in support of (an argument, a complaint); make excuses for (a sin); refl. defend oneself verbally; also, talk one's way out of a difficult situation [quot. c1400]; ~ that, defend the proposition that (sth. is true).

(a) Law To defend against (a lawsuit); deny (a charge); defend (sb., oneself) at law; (b) to undertake to maintain someone's right to (land, income).

Med. Of a medicine, an ointment: to preserve (part of the body from disease or damage); also, preserve (a corpse from worms).

To forbid, forbid (sb.), forbid (an action, a practice, vice, way of life, etc.), deny (sb. an action, etc.), forbid (sb. to do sth.): (a) absol. or with noun, pron., ger.; (b) with infin. phr.; (c) with neg. (usu. that) cl.

To prohibit (a thing), deny (sb. a thing), bar (a country, a door, to sb.); fruit defended, forbidden fruit.

To restrain (sb., sth.), keep (sb. from doing sth.), prevent; hold back (water), prevent (liquid from flowing); keep (the spirit) from departing; diminish (heat); God the defende from, etc., may God keep you from having, etc.

(a) To ward off (sth.), avert; beat off (invaders, an attack); shut out (an army); (b) ~ of, to ward off, drive away; ~ fro, keep (sb.) out of (a place); (c) to avoid (a vice); (d) to refuse (sb., sth.); (e) to disown (sth.), denounce, curse.

(a) Crist me ~, may Christ prevent me (from doing sth.), Christ forbid (that I should do sth.); God ~ (that), God forbid that (sb. should do sth., sth. should happen); God ~ it but, God forbid that (they should) not (be chastised); (b) as God ~ (it), that God ~, which God ~, may God prevent it, which God forbid; (c) God ~ (it), God ~ that, may God prevent it, God forbid!

(a) Med. Of a medicine or treatment: to prevent (an abscess, a fever, vomiting, etc.); with that clause: prevent (sth. unfavorable from happening); (b) to get rid of (disease, an abscess), drive out, cure.