1. vt. & vi.保卫　 protect; make safe; keep safe from harm; protect against attack
2. vt. & vi.辩护；辩解　 support, protect, or show the rightness by argument

　～ a place　保卫一个地方
　～ a theory　支持某种理论
　～ a child　保护孩子
　～ interests of　捍卫…的利益
　～ one's actions　支持某人的行动
　～ one's conduct　为某人的行为辩解
　～ one's drinking on the job　为在工作时饮酒辩护
　～ one's ideas　支持某人的见解
　～ one's title　保住某人的权力
　～ oneself　自卫，为自己辩护
　～ road　护路
　～ the accused　为被告辩护
　～ the country　保卫国家
　～ the national interest　保护民族利益
　～ the wrong cause for the right reason　以正当理由捍卫错误的事业
　～ angrily　愤怒地辩护
　～ ardently　积极地辩护
　～ bravely　勇敢地辩护
　～ courageously　英勇地辩论
　～ desperately　毫无顾忌地辩护
　～ easily　易于辩解
　～ effectually　有效地辩论
　～ eloquently　雄辩
　～ heroically　英勇地辩论
　～ obstinately　顽强地辩护
　～ passively　被动地辩护
　～ philosophically　用哲学的观点辩护
　～ principally　主要地辩解
　～ stoutly　有力地辩护
　～ successfully　成功地辩护
　～ against　保卫…不受侵犯
　～ against attack　在遭受攻击时进行自卫
　～ against danger　保护某人免遭危险
　～ against enemies　防御敌人
　～ from harm　保护某人使其免受伤害
　～ with　用…保卫

　He is better at defending than attacking.　他的防御能力比进攻能力强。
　Who is defending in this case?　此案谁做辩护律师?
　Finally they took up arms to defend themselves.　他们最后终于拿起武器进行自卫。
　They raised a large army to defend their country.　他们集结了大量军队来保卫自己的国家。
　We shall defend our country, whatever the cost may be.　无论付出什么代价，我们都要保卫我们的国家。
　The soldiers are fighting bravely to defend their country.　士兵们正为保卫祖国而英勇战斗。
　The duty of a soldier is to defend his country.　士兵的职责就是要保卫国家。
　During the Warring States period, more walls were put up to defend the borders of the different kingdoms.　战国时期，各国修建了许多城墙来保卫边境。
　The country needs a stronger army to defend itself.　这个国家需要一支更加强大的军队来捍卫。
　They couldn't prevent us defending the rights of students.　他们不能阻挠我们捍卫学生们的权利。
　He had defended the institution of a celibate priesthood.　他捍卫了独身牧师制度。
　He incurred the wrath of the emperor for defending Li Ling.　他因为替李陵说话，触怒了皇帝。
　She defended herself successfully in court.　她在法庭上成功地为自己进行了辩护。
　The accused had a lawyer to defend him.　被告有个律师来替他辩护。
　You'll need lawyers to defend you.　你将需要请律师为你辩护。
　He defends his doctrine in his book.　他在书中为自己的学说辩解。
　He made a long speech defending his ideas.　他发表一长篇演说为他的见解辩护。
　He is so obstinate that he still tries to defend his theory, although it has been proved wrong.　他固执极了，尽管他的理论已被证明是错的，可他还在设法为其辩护。
　I can't defend his drinking on the job.　我不能为他在工作时喝酒辩解。
　The city was defended by mountains on three sides.　这座城市三面有山的保护。
　This view was also defended by other deputies.　其他代表也在为这一观点辩护。
　God defends that ever I should do such a thing.　上帝决不允许我做这样的事。
　This was his world, he could defend it secure from fear.　这是他的世界，他能使它免受恐惧。

 ♣ defend against　(v.+prep.)
　保护…不受，防御　protect against attack
　They tried to defend themselves against the enemy with all their might.　他们竭尽全力抵御敌人。
　We must defend ourselves against the invaders.　我们必须防御入侵之敌。
　She defended herself against a false accusation.　她试图反驳别人对她的诬告。
　He defended himself against robbery.　他对抢劫进行了自卫。
　The sentry defended the platoon against sudden attack.　哨兵保卫那个排不受突然袭击。
　We defend our country against enemies.　我们抵御敌人，保卫我们的国家。
　Their duty is to defend their country against both domestic and foreign enemies' attack.　他们的职责是保卫国家不受国内外敌人的侵害。
　The newspaper defended her against the accusations.　报纸为她受到的指控进行辩护。
　The fort cannot be defended against an air attack.　这座要塞无法抵御空袭。
 ♣ defend from　(v.+prep.)
　保护…使不受危险　protect out of danger
　We defended her from harm.　我们保护她免受伤害。
　The law defends people from injustice.　法律保护人民不受冤屈。
　He made a long speech defending his views from objection.　他作了长篇讲演来保护他的观点不遭反对。
　The dyke was built to defend the road from being washed away by the sea.　建筑这座堤坝是为了保护公路不被海水冲垮。
 ♣ defend with　(v.+prep.)
　用…来保卫　protect sb with sth
　Our two guards defended with great skill.　我队的两名后卫技巧娴熟地进行防守。
　We defended ourselves with guns.　我们拿枪进行自卫。
　When the dog attacked me, I defended myself with a stick.　当那条狗袭击我时，我用手杖自卫。
　We will defend our motherland with our blood and lives.　我们要用鲜血和生命保卫祖国。
　They were defended with guns.　他们带着枪作为防卫。

 ♣ defend, assert, justify, maintain, vindicate
　参见maintain条。
 ♣ defend, guard, protect, safeguard, shield
　这组词的共同意思是“保护”。其区别是：
1. defend指对迫在眉睫的危险或侵袭而采取武力或其他手段防御，也可指为某人辩护或捍卫原则的纯洁性；guard指小心翼翼地保持警惕，防止实际存在的或可能发生的危险，以确保人身安全；safeguard指采用保护措施防御潜在的危险；protect指借用某种东西作为防御、保护的工具，使人或物免受伤害；shield指将防护物置放在保护者和伤害物之间，有遮挡的意思。例如：
　The soldiers defended the castle.　士兵们守卫城堡。
　The player was guarded closely by her opponent.　那名运动员被她的对手紧紧地看住。
　This special cream will protect your skin from the burning sun.　这种独特的乳霜可以保护皮肤免受烈日的伤害。
　This agreement will safeguard the newspapers from government interference.　这项协定将保护报界免遭政府干预。
　The police were equipped with riot shields.　警察配备了防护盾牌。
2. protect和shield两者相比较， shield在避开危险的成功率上没有protect高。
3. 这组词中语气最强烈的是safeguard.

1. 他们的责任是防御敌人。
　［误］ Their duty is to defend the enemy.
　［正］ Their duty is to defend themselves against the enemy.
　［析］ defend含义是“保卫自己，免受敌人攻击”，其宾语是保护的对象；against后接防御的对象。
2. 她保护她的孩子不被疯狗咬伤。
　［误］ She defended her children off the mad dog.
　［正］ She defended her children from the mad dog.
　［析］ 表示“保护…使免遭危害”时， defend常与from连用。

　［同义词］ guard, maintain, protect, safeguard, shield, support, uphold
　［反义词］ attack
　［词源］中古英语defenden <古法语defendre（避开打击）