fend

F4E1N1D2
/ˈfɛnd/[ˈfɛnd]pin pen merger/ˈfɪnd/pin pen merger[ˈfɪ̟nd]

verb

To take care of oneself; to take responsibility for one's own well-being.

Similar
resiststandremain firm
OriginMiddle English fenden ← Old French deffendre ← Latin dēfendō →
Less commonScrabble 8
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Meanings

fend1

verbfend (third-person singular simple present fends, present participle fending, simple past and past participle fended)

present singular third person fends · participle present fending · participle past fended · past fended

  1. intransitiveTo take care of oneself; to take responsibility for one's own well-being.

    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.

    2003, Scott Turow, Reversible Errors, page 376
    1 more example

    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.

  2. rareexcept as "fend for oneself"To defend, to take care of (typically construed with for); to block or push away (typically construed with off).

    With fern beneath to fend the bitter cold.

    1697, Virgil, “The Third Book of the Georgics”, in John Dryden, transl., The Works of Virgil: Containing His Pastorals, Georgics, and Æneis. […], London: […] Jacob Tonson, […], →OCLC
    2 more examples

    He fends, he blocks, too skillful to be downed.

    1999, Luo Guanzhong, translated by Moss Roberts, Three Kingdoms: A Historical Novel, page 39

    “[…] My age is lot like yours. Lone women do not fare well. If I were not there to fend for you, you—”

    2002, Jude Deveraux, A Knight in Shining Armor, page 187
nounfend (uncountable)
  1. obsoleteuncountableSelf-support; taking care of one's own well-being.

fend2

nounfend (plural fends)

plural fends

  1. UKdialectalAn enemy; fiend; the Devil.

Synonyms & antonyms

verbwithstand the force of something

Similar
resiststandremain firm
Broader
fightopposefight back
Also see
defendresiststand

Synonym sets from Open English WordNet, CC BY 4.0.

Origin

fend · verb, noun

  1. Proto-Indo-European*gʷʰen-“strike, kill”
  2. Proto-Italic*fendō
  3. Latindēfendō“to ward off”
  4. Old Frenchdeffendre
  5. Middle Englishfenden“defend, fight, prevent”
  6. Englishfend

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”).

More words from Middle English, Old French, Latin

Full word history & related roots →

fend · noun

  1. Proto-Indo-European*peh₁-“to hate”
  2. Proto-Germanic*fijandz
  3. Old Englishfēond“adversary, foe, enemy, fiend, devil, Satan”
  4. Middle Englishfēnd
  5. Englishfend

From Middle English fēnd, feond, from Old English fēond (“adversary, foe, enemy, fiend, devil, Satan”), from Proto-Germanic *fijandz, present participle of *fijaną, from Proto-Indo-European *peh₁- (“to hate”). More at fiend.

More words from Middle English, Old English, Proto-Germanic

Full word history & related roots →

Translations

Bulgarian отклонявам, парирам
  • отклонявам (otklonjavam)to defend, block or push away
  • парирам (pariram)to defend, block or push away
  • грижа се (griža se)to take care of or responsibility for oneself
Chinese Mandarin 挡住
  • 挡住 (dǎngzhù)to defend, block or push away
Dutch zijn eigen boontjes doppen
  • zijn eigen boontjes doppento take care of or responsibility for oneself
Estonian tõrjuma
  • tõrjumato take care of or responsibility for oneself
Finnish torjua, pitää puolta
  • torjuato defend, block or push away
  • pitää puoltato defend, block or push away
  • huolehtia itsestäänto take care of or responsibility for oneself
  • pitää huolta itsestäänto take care of or responsibility for oneself
  • selviytyäto take care of or responsibility for oneself
  • pärjätäto take care of or responsibility for oneself
French prendre soin de soi
  • prendre soin de soito take care of or responsibility for oneself
German alleine auskommen, für sich selbst sorgen
  • alleine auskommento take care of or responsibility for oneself
  • für sich selbst sorgento take care of or responsibility for oneself
Māori pārai, whakangungu
  • pāraito defend, block or push away
  • whakangunguto defend, block or push away
  • matatāto defend, block or push away
Spanish valerse por sí mismo
  • valerse por sí mismoto take care of or responsibility for oneself

Rhymes & wordplay

Rhymes with fend

sendendfriendrecommendweekendspendattendtrendextendtenddependblendbendamenddefendintendsuspendpretendlendappendtranscendcontendcomprehendoffend
All rhymes →

Sounds the same

finned (pin–pen merger)finned (pin–pen merger)finned (pin–pen merger)
Cite this entry
APA

fend. (n.d.). In WatkinsX Dictionary. Retrieved November 2, 2026, from https://dictionary.watkinsx.com/word/fend

MLA

“fend.” WatkinsX Dictionary, https://dictionary.watkinsx.com/word/fend. Accessed November 2, 2026.

Chicago

WatkinsX Dictionary, s.v. “fend,” accessed November 2, 2026, https://dictionary.watkinsx.com/word/fend.

Source: fend on Wiktionary, CC BY-SA 4.0.