fend off
The phrase "fend off" is commonly used to describe actions taken to protect oneself from threats, whether physical or metaphorical.
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Definition
B2General
(common)To defend oneself against a threat or attack.
Example
- She managed to fend off the attacker until help arrived.
B2General
(common)To prevent something undesirable from happening.
Example
- He tried to fend off the flu by taking vitamins.
C1Nautical
(technical)To prevent a vessel from colliding with another object.
Example
- The crew had to fend off the boat from the dock during the storm.
Similar
Terms that have similar or relatively close meanings to "fend off":
fight offward offbeat offhold offhead offkeep awayscare offturn asidebat awaystand offshrug offwave offfob offfork offbear offkeep backbrush offwave awayturn awayhead off at the passback offkeep fromfight backdrive off