fend
[fˈɛnd] /ˈfend/ (ame, mw)
fend — verb
- fendpresent simple I / you / we / they
- fends3rd person singular
- fending-ing form
- fendedpast simple
1. to push away or defend yourself against someone or something that is trying to a
to push away or defend yourself against someone or something that is trying to attack or threaten you, often by using a physical or verbal barrier.
An old farmer used a broom to fend off a stray dog near his barn.
fend off + physical threat (animal)
Jude had to fend off awkward questions from journalists after the surprise announcement.
fend off + abstract threat (questions)
Mayumi wore a wide sun hat to fend off the worst of the afternoon heat.
Alessia raised her arms to fend off branches as she pushed through thick bushes.
文法句型
fend + off + noun phrase
用法筆記
Almost always used with 'off' in modern English. The object of 'fend off' can be a physical attacker (animal, person) or an abstract threat (questions, criticism, a takeover). Using 'fend' alone without 'off' sounds very old-fashioned.
常見錯誤
2. to take care of yourself and meet your own needs without receiving help or suppo
to take care of yourself and meet your own needs without receiving help or support from anyone else.
Henry moved for work and had to learn to fend for himself.
fend for oneself — living independently
The young birds were pushed from the nest to fend for themselves in the wild.
After the divorce, Tamar had to fend for herself and raise two young children alone.
Each student in the survival course fended for themselves for three nights in a forest.
- cope
broader — can mean dealing with any difficulty, not just survival needs
- get by
more informal, often about managing financially with limited resources
- shift for oneself
archaic in most regions, still used in British English but rare
文法句型
fend + for + myself/yourself/himself/herself/ourselves/yourselves/themselves
用法筆記
Always uses a reflexive pronoun after 'for' (fend for myself, fend for yourself, etc.). This is a fixed expression — you cannot replace the reflexive pronoun with a noun or an ordinary object pronoun.
常見錯誤
3. to earn enough money or produce enough food and other necessities to support you
to earn enough money or produce enough food and other necessities to support yourself and the people who depend on you.
After losing his factory job, Zayd struggled to fend for his family on part-time wages.
fend for + family — financial support
Mei works twelve-hour shifts at the factory to fend for her elderly parents.
fend for + elderly parents — providing for dependents
Jisoo worked two jobs to fend for her siblings after their mother fell ill.
After the war, Ahmed took any job he could find to fend for his widowed sister and her baby.
- provide for
more neutral and common; can refer to any kind of provision, not just survival needs
- support
broader — can include emotional support; 'fend for' is more about material needs
- sustain
more formal, often used in writing about long-term provision
文法句型
fend + for + family / children / dependents / someone
用法筆記
This sense overlaps with 'fend for yourself' (sense 2) but focuses on providing for dependents rather than just oneself. Distinguish by the noun after 'for': if it is a reflexive pronoun (myself, yourself), the meaning is sense 2 (self-sufficiency); if it is another person or group (family, children), the meaning is sense 3 (financial provision).
常見錯誤
4. to make a strong effort or struggle to do something, especially when facing grea
to make a strong effort or struggle to do something, especially when facing great difficulty or limited resources.
The stranded climbers fended in the storm for two days before help arrived.
fend without particle — archaic effort/struggle sense
Without a map, the lost hikers fended through the dense forest until they found a road.
The refugees fended against hunger and cold during the long winter months.
Early settlers fended to clear the land and build shelters before the first snowfall.
文法句型
fend (without particle, old-fashioned)
用法筆記
This sense is very rare in modern English and sounds archaic or literary. Most contemporary speakers would use 'struggle', 'strive', or 'battle' instead. It appears mainly in historical texts or regional British dialects and does NOT take the particles 'off' or 'for' like the other verb senses.
fend — noun
1. an attempt to do something by your own effort, especially when you have no help
an attempt to do something by your own effort, especially when you have no help or support from others.
The village made a fend to rebuild its school using only local materials.
fixed phrase 'make a fend' (rare, formal)
The elderly couple made a fend at growing enough vegetables to last through the winter.
Each household made a fend to repair its roof after the storm, without outside help.
Left without a teacher, the students made a fend at teaching themselves from old textbooks.
用法筆記
Very rare in modern English. Usually appears in the fixed phrase 'make a fend' and is mostly found in older British literature or regional dialects. Most contemporary speakers would use 'attempt', 'effort', or 'try' instead.