fend

A verb used to indicate the act of defending oneself or managing without assistance, often in the phrase 'fend for oneself'.

• 🇫🇷Verbe utilisé pour désigner l'action de se défendre ou de s'occuper de ses affaires sans aide extérieure, souvent dans l'expression 'fend for oneself' (se débrouiller seul). Peut aussi signifier repousser ou écarter.

1. Defend or protect B2 formal

   To defend oneself against an attack or threat.

   • He had to fend off the attacker with a stick.
   • She fended off criticism with a calm response.
   • The soldiers fended off the enemy advance.

   🇫🇷se défendre / protéger

   Synonymes: defendguardparryprotectrepelresistshieldward offwithstand

2. Manage or cope B2 informal

   To look after oneself without help; to manage independently.

   • After moving out, he had to fend for himself.
   • She learned to fend for herself in the big city.
   • The children were left to fend for themselves during the summer.

   🇫🇷se débrouiller

   Synonymes: copeget bymake domanageshiftsurvive

• fended past participle
• fended past simple
• fending present participle
• fends third person singular

Variantes phrasal: fend forfend off