Verb

(en verb)

To give permission, power, or the legal right to do something.

* {{quote-book, year=1985, author=William H. Tench, title=Safety is no accident

, passage=Regulations have been made under the Civil Aviation Acts of 1949, 1980 and 1982 which empower Inspectors of Accidents to do these things.}}

To give someone more confidence and/or strength to do something, often by enabling them to increase their control over their own life or situation.

It's not enough to give women and minorities equal rights on paper; they need to be empowered to be able to make use of these rights.

John found that starting up his own business empowered him greatly in social situations.

* {{quote-book, year=1992, author=Nick Logan, title=The Face, page=11-130

, passage=Musically, what originally attracted me to dance was its shamanist aspects, using natural magic to change people's neurological states and to psychologically empower them.}}

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.