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Defend vs Comfort - What's the difference?

defend | comfort |

As verbs the difference between defend and comfort

is that defend is defends, protects (3rd person singular, present tense) while comfort is to relieve the distress or suffering of; to provide comfort to.

As a noun comfort is

contentment, ease.

defend

English

Verb

(en verb)
  • (obsolete) To ward off, repel (an attack or attacker).
  • *1590 , Edmund Spenser, The Faerie Queene , II.viii:
  • *:The vertue is, that neither steele, nor stone / The stroke thereof from entrance may defend .
  • (obsolete) To prevent, to keep (from doing something).
  • (transitive, intransitive, obsolete) To prohibit, forbid.
  • *:
  • *:Broder said sir launcelot wete ye wel I am ful lothe to departe oute of this realme / but the quene hath defended me soo hyhely / that me semeth she wille neuer be my good lady as she hath ben
  • To ward off attacks from; to fight to protect; to guard.
  • To support by words or writing; to vindicate, talk in favour of.
  • (legal) To make legal defence of; to represent (the accused).
  • *{{quote-news, year=2011, date=December 14, author=Steven Morris, work=Guardian
  • , title= Devon woman jailed for 168 days for killing kitten in microwave , passage=Philip Miles, defending , said: "This was a single instance, there was no allegation of continuing behaviour over a long period of time."}}
  • (sports) To focus one's energies and talents on preventing opponents from scoring, as opposed to focusing on scoring.
  • (sports) To attempt to retain a title, or attempt to reach the same stage in a competition as one did in the previous edition of that competition.
  • (poker slang) To call a raise from the big blind.
  • Synonyms

    * See also

    Antonyms

    * attack

    Anagrams

    *

    comfort

    English

    Noun

    (en noun)
  • Contentment, ease.
  • Sleep in comfort with our new mattress.
  • Something that offers comfort.
  • the comforts of home
  • A consolation; something relieving suffering or worry.
  • We still have the spare tire? That's a comfort at least.
  • A cause of relief or satisfaction.
  • The outcome of the peace negotiations in Moscow in 1940 was a heavy blow to the young nation, but in the same time a great comfort : at least the independency was preserved.

    Synonyms

    *

    Antonyms

    * austerity

    Verb

    (en verb)
  • To relieve the distress or suffering of; to provide comfort to.
  • Rob comforted Aaron because he was lost and very sad.
  • * Francis Bacon
  • Light excelleth in comforting the spirits of men.
  • To make comfortable. (rfex)
  • (obsolete) To make strong; to invigorate; to fortify; to corroborate.
  • (Wyclif)
  • * Hooker
  • God's own testimony doth not a little comfort and confirm the same.
  • (obsolete) To assist or help; to aid.
  • * Shakespeare
  • I cannot help the noble chevalier: / God comfort him in this necessity!

    Synonyms

    * besoothe

    Derived terms

    * cold comfort * comfort woman * comfortable * comforter * comforting * discomfort * letter of comfort ----