fend
/ˈfɛnd/
Word Rarity
Rare
Frequency: 3.21 in modern English
8
Scrabble Score
4
Letters
1
Syllables
4
Unique Chars
Meaning
Example Sentences
- "1990, Messrs Howley and Murphy, quoted in U.S. House Subcommittee on Labor Standards, Oversight hearing on the Federal Service Contract Act, U.S. Government Printing Office, page 40, Mr. Howley. They are telling him how much they will increase the reimbursement for the total labor cost. The contractor is left to fend as he can. Chairman Murphy. Obviously, he can’t fend for any more than the money he has coming in."
- "The planet was full of creatures in need, who could not really fend, and the law was at its best when it ensured that they were treated with dignity."
- "With fern beneath to fend the bitter cold."
- "He fends, he blocks, too skillful to be downed."
- "“[…] My age is lot like yours. Lone women do not fare well. If I were not there to fend for you, you—”"
Etymology
From Middle English fenden (“defend, fight, prevent”), shortening of defenden (“defend”), from Old French deffendre (Modern French défendre), from Latin dēfendō (“to ward off”), from dē- + *fendō (“hit, thrust”), from Proto-Italic *fendō, from Proto-Indo-European *gʷʰen- (“strike, kill”).
Origin
Word Breakdown
Usage
- Intransitive verb
- Obsolete
- Uncountable
- British usage