fend

Usage

• defend

  When you defend someone, you guard or protect them to keep them safe from harm.

• offend

  When you offend someone, you do or say something that makes them upset or angry.

• fender

  One who or that which defends or protects by warding off harmA screen to prevent coals or sparks of an open fire from escaping to the floor.Anything serving as a cushion to lessen the shock when a vessel comes in contact with another vessel or a wharf.A screen to protect a carriage from mud thrown off the wheels: also, a splashboard.Anything set up to protect an exposed angle, as of a house, from damage by carriage wheels.

• counteroffensive

  the leading of an attack to stop another attack

• defendant

  a person or institution against whom an action is brought in a court of law

• defender

  One who defends; one who maintains, supports, protects, or vindicates; a champion; an advocate; a vindicator.

• defense

  The act of defending, or the state of being defended; protection, as from violence or danger.

• defensible

  Capable of being defended; as, a defensible city, or a defensible cause.

• defensive

  Serving to defend or protect; proper for defense; opposed to offensive; as, defensive armor.

• fence

  That which fends off attack or danger; a defense; a protection; a cover; security; shield.

• fencer

  One who fences; one who teaches or practices the art of fencing with sword or foil.

• fencing

  The art or practice of attack and defense with the sword, esp. with the smallsword. See Fence, v. i., 2.

• forfend

  To prohibit; to forbid; to avert.

• indefensible

  not able to be supported or defended

• inoffensive

  Giving no offense, or provocation; causing no uneasiness, annoyance, or disturbance; as, an inoffensive man, answer, appearance.

• offender

  One who offends; one who violates any law, divine or human; a wrongdoer.

• offense

  The act of offending in any sense; esp., a crime or a sin, an affront or an injury.

• offensive

  The state or posture of one who offends or makes attack; aggressive attitude; the act of the attacking party; -- opposed to defensive.