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.

Verb

(promot)

To raise (someone) to a more important, responsible, or remunerative job or rank.

He promoted his clerk to office manager.

Having crossed the chessboard, his pawn was promoted to a queen.

To advocate or urge on behalf of (something or someone); to attempt to popularize or sell by means of advertising or publicity.

They promoted the abolition of daylight saving time.

They promoted the new film with giant billboards.

To encourage, urge or incite

{{quote-Fanny Hill, part=5 , so that finding myself on the point of going, and loath to leave the tender partner of my joys behind me, I employed all the forwarding motions and arts my experience suggested to me, to promote his keeping me company to our journey's end}}

To elevate to the above league.

At the end of the season, three teams are promoted to the Premier League.

(label) To increase the activity of a catalyst by changing its surface structure

(label) To exchange a pawn for a queen or other piece when it reaches the 8th rank