%fen%

{ } n. [ Turk. qahveh khāneh coffeehouse. ] A humble inn or house of rest for travelers, where coffee is sold. [ Turkey ] [ 1913 Webster ]

n. A joint defendant. Blackstone. [ 1913 Webster ]

v. t. [ imp. & p. p. Deafened p. pr. & vb. n. Deafening. ] [ From Deaf. ] 1. To make deaf; to deprive of the power of hearing; to render incapable of perceiving sounds distinctly. [ 1913 Webster ]

Deafened and stunned with their promiscuous cries. Addison. [ 1913 Webster ]

2. (Arch.) To render impervious to sound, as a partition or floor, by filling the space within with mortar, by lining with paper, etc. [ 1913 Webster ]

adj. rendered deaf. [ WordNet 1.5 ]

a. extremely loud; so loud as to cause deafness; as, a disco with rock music played at a deafening volume. [ PJC ]

n. The act or process of rendering impervious to sound, as a floor or wall; also, the material with which the spaces are filled in this process; pugging; sound insulation. [ 1913 Webster ]

n. & v. t. See Defense. [ 1913 Webster ]

{ } n. [ F. défense, OF. defense, fem., defens, masc., fr. L. defensa (cf. LL. defensum), from defendere. See Defend, and cf. Fence. ] 1. The act of defending, or the state of being defended; protection, as from violence or danger. [ 1913 Webster ]

In cases of defense 't is best to weigh
The enemy more mighty than he seems. Shak. [ 1913 Webster ]

2. That which defends or protects; anything employed to oppose attack, ward off violence or danger, or maintain security; a guard; a protection. [ 1913 Webster ]

War would arise in defense of the right. Tennyson. [ 1913 Webster ]

God, the widow's champion and defense. Shak. [ 1913 Webster ]

3. Protecting plea; vindication; justification. [ 1913 Webster ]

Men, brethren, and fathers, hear ye my defense. Acts xxii. 1. [ 1913 Webster ]

4. (Law) The defendant's answer or plea; an opposing or denial of the truth or validity of the plaintiff's or prosecutor's case; the method of proceeding adopted by the defendant to protect himself against the plaintiff's action. [ 1913 Webster ]

5. Act or skill in making defense; defensive plan or policy; practice in self defense, as in fencing, boxing, etc. [ 1913 Webster ]

A man of great defense. Spenser. [ 1913 Webster ]

By how much defense is better than no skill. Shak. [ 1913 Webster ]

6. Prohibition; a prohibitory ordinance. [ Obs. ] [ 1913 Webster ]

Severe defenses . . . against wearing any linen under a certain breadth. Sir W. Temple. [ 1913 Webster ]

adj. same as defenseless; as, a defenceless child.
Syn. -- defenseless, helpless. [ WordNet 1.5 ]

v. t. [ imp. & p. p. Defended; p. pr. & vb. n. Defending. ] [ F. défendre, L. defendere; de- + fendere (only in comp.) to strike; perh. akin to Gr. qei`nein to strike, and E. dint. Cf. Dint, Defense, Fend. ] 1. To ward or fend off; to drive back or away; to repel. [ A Latinism & Obs. ] [ 1913 Webster ]

Th' other strove for to defend
The force of Vulcan with his might and main. Spenser. [ 1913 Webster ]

2. To prohibit; to forbid. [ Obs. ] Chaucer. [ 1913 Webster ]

Which God defend that I should wring from him. Shak.

3. To repel danger or harm from; to protect; to secure against attack; to maintain against force or argument; to uphold; to guard; as, to defend a town; to defend a cause; to defend character; to defend the absent; -- sometimes followed by from or against; as, to defend one's self from, or against, one's enemies. [ 1913 Webster ]

The lord mayor craves aid . . . to defend the city. Shak. [ 1913 Webster ]

God defend the right! Shak. [ 1913 Webster ]

A village near it was defended by the river. Clarendon. [ 1913 Webster ]

4. (Law.) To deny the right of the plaintiff in regard to (the suit, or the wrong charged); to oppose or resist, as a claim at law; to contest, as a suit. Burrill.

Syn. -- To Defend, Protect. To defend is literally to ward off; to protect is to cover so as to secure against approaching danger. We defend those who are attacked; we protect those who are liable to injury or invasion. A fortress is defended by its guns, and protected by its wall. [ 1913 Webster ]

As birds flying, so will the Lord of hosts defend Jerusalem; defending also he will deliver it. Is. xxxi. 5. [ 1913 Webster ]

Leave not the faithful side
That gave thee being, still shades thee and protects. Milton. [ 1913 Webster ]

a. [ Cf. F. défendable. ] Capable of being defended; defensible. [ R. ] [ 1913 Webster ]

a. [ F. défendant, p. pr. of défendre. See Defend. ] 1. Serving, or suitable, for defense; defensive. [ Obs. ] [ 1913 Webster ]

With men of courage and with means defendant. Shak. [ 1913 Webster ]

2. Making defense. [ 1913 Webster ]

n. 1. One who defends; a defender. [ 1913 Webster ]

The rampiers and ditches which the defendants had cast up. Spotswood. [ 1913 Webster ]

2. (Law) A person required to make answer in an action or suit; -- opposed to plaintiff. Abbott. [ 1913 Webster ]

☞ The term is applied to any party of whom a demand is made in court, whether the party denies and defends the claim, or admits it, and suffers a default; also to a party charged with a criminal offense. [ 1913 Webster ]

n. One who is defended. [ 1913 Webster ]

n. [ Cf. Fender. ] One who defends; one who maintains, supports, protects, or vindicates; a champion; an advocate; a vindicator. [ 1913 Webster ]

Provinces . . . left without their ancient and puissant defenders. Motley. [ 1913 Webster ]

n. A female defender. [ R. ] [ 1913 Webster ]

Defendress of the faith. Stow. [ 1913 Webster ]

v. t. to throw (something or someone) out of a window. [ PJC ]

n. the act of throwing (something or someone) out of a window. [ PJC ]

n. [ L. defensare, defensatum, to defend diligently, intens. of defendere. See Defend. ] That which serves to protect or defend.

v. t. To furnish with defenses; to fortify. [ Obs. ] [ Written also defence. ] [ 1913 Webster ]

Better manned and more strongly defensed. Hales. [ 1913 Webster ]

a. Destitute of defense; unprepared to resist attack; unable to oppose; unprotected. [ Also spelled defenceless. ]-- De*fense"less*ly, adv. -- De*fense"less*ness, n. [ 1913 Webster ]

2. unarmed; used of persons or the military. armed [ WordNet 1.5 ]

n. [ Cf. F. défenseur, L. defensor. Cf. Defensor. ] Defender. [ Obs. ] Foxe. [ 1913 Webster ]

n. Capability of being defended. [ 1913 Webster ]

a. [ Cf. F. défensable, LL. defensabilis, defensibilis. See Defense, and cf. Defendable. ] 1. Capable of being defended; as, a defensible city, or a defensible cause. [ 1913 Webster ]

2. Capable of offering defense. [ Obs. ] Shak. [ 1913 Webster ]

n. Capability of being defended; defensibility. Priestley. [ 1913 Webster ]

a. [ Cf. F. défensif. ] 1. Serving to defend or protect; proper for defense; opposed to offensive; as, defensive armor. [ 1913 Webster ]

A moat defensive to a house. Shak. [ 1913 Webster ]

2. Carried on by resisting attack or aggression; -- opposed to offensive; as, defensive war. [ 1913 Webster ]

3. In a state or posture of defense. Milton. [ 1913 Webster ]

n. That which defends; a safeguard. [ 1913 Webster ]

Wars preventive, upon just fears, are true defensives. Bacon. [ 1913 Webster ]

To be on the defensive,
To stand on the defensive, to be or stand in a state or posture of defense or resistance, in opposition to aggression or attack. [ 1913 Webster ]

adv. On the defensive. [ 1913 Webster ]

n. [ L. See Defenser. ] 1. A defender. Fabyan. [ 1913 Webster ]

2. (Law) A defender or an advocate in court; a guardian or protector. [ 1913 Webster ]

3. (Eccl.) The patron of a church; an officer having charge of the temporal affairs of a church. [ 1913 Webster ]

a. [ L. defensorius. ] Tending to defend; defensive; as, defensory preparations. [ 1913 Webster ]

n. a genus of evergreen perennial herbs of tropical America with lush foliage and poisonous sap; often cultivated as houseplants.
Syn. -- genus Dieffenbachia. [ WordNet 1.5 ]

n., [ Turk. efendi, fr. Modern Gr. &unr_;, fr. Gr. &unr_; a chief. See Authentic. ] Master; sir; -- a Turkish title of respect, applied esp. to a state official or man of learning, as one learned in the law, but often simply as the courtesy title of a gentleman. [ Webster 1913 Suppl. ]

n. [ AS. fen, fenn, marsh, mud, dirt; akin to D. veen, OFries. fenne, fene, OHG. fenna, G. fenn, Icel. fen, Goth. fani mud. ] Low land overflowed, or covered wholly or partially with water, but producing sedge, coarse grasses, or other aquatic plants; boggy land; moor; marsh. [ 1913 Webster ]

'Mid reedy fens wide spread. Wordsworth. [ 1913 Webster ]

☞ Fen is used adjectively with the sense of belonging to, or of the nature of, a fen or fens. [ 1913 Webster ]

Fen boat, a boat of light draught used in marshes. --
Fen duck (Zool.), a wild duck inhabiting fens; the shoveler. [ Prov. Eng. ] --
Fen fowl (Zool.), any water fowl that frequent fens. --
Fen goose (Zool.), the graylag goose of Europe. [ Prov. Eng. ] --
Fen land, swamp land. [ 1913 Webster ]

n. [ Abbrev. from defence. ] 1. That which fends off attack or danger; a defense; a protection; a cover; security; shield. [ 1913 Webster ]

Let us be backed with God and with the seas,
Which he hath given for fence impregnable. Shak. [ 1913 Webster ]

A fence betwixt us and the victor's wrath. Addison. [ 1913 Webster ]

2. An inclosure about a field or other space, or about any object; especially, an inclosing structure of wood, iron, or other material, intended to prevent intrusion from without or straying from within. [ 1913 Webster ]

Leaps o'er the fence with ease into the fold. Milton. [ 1913 Webster ]

☞ In England a hedge, ditch, or wall, as well as a structure of boards, palings, or rails, is called a fence. [ 1913 Webster ]

3. (Locks) A projection on the bolt, which passes through the tumbler gates in locking and unlocking. [ 1913 Webster ]

4. Self-defense by the use of the sword; the art and practice of fencing and sword play; hence, skill in debate and repartee. See Fencing. [ 1913 Webster ]

Enjoy your dear wit, and gay rhetoric,
That hath so well been taught her dazzing fence. Milton. [ 1913 Webster ]

Of dauntless courage and consummate skill in fence. Macaulay. [ 1913 Webster ]

5. A receiver of stolen goods, or a place where they are received. [ Slang ] Mayhew. [ 1913 Webster ]

Fence month (Forest Law), the month in which female deer are fawning, when hunting is prohibited. Bullokar. --
Fence roof, a covering for defense. “They fitted their shields close to one another in manner of a fence roof.” Holland. --
Fence time, the breeding time of fish or game, when they should not be killed. --
Rail fence, a fence made of rails, sometimes supported by posts. --
Ring fence, a fence which encircles a large area, or a whole estate, within one inclosure. --
Worm fence, a zigzag fence composed of rails crossing one another at their ends; -- called also snake fence, or Virginia rail fence. --
To be on the fence, to be undecided or uncommitted in respect to two opposing parties or policies. [ Colloq. ] [ 1913 Webster ]

v. t. [ imp. & p. p. Fenced p. pr. & vb. n. Fencing ] 1. To fend off danger from; to give security to; to protect; to guard. [ 1913 Webster ]

To fence my ear against thy sorceries. Milton. [ 1913 Webster ]

2. To inclose with a fence or other protection; to secure by an inclosure. [ 1913 Webster ]

O thou wall! . . . dive in the earth,
And fence not Athens. Shak. [ 1913 Webster ]

A sheepcote fenced about with olive trees. Shak. [ 1913 Webster ]

To fence the tables (Scot. Church), to make a solemn address to those who present themselves to commune at the Lord's supper, on the feelings appropriate to the service, in order to hinder, so far as possible, those who are unworthy from approaching the table. McCheyne. [ 1913 Webster ]

v. i. 1. To make a defense; to guard one's self of anything, as against an attack; to give protection or security, as by a fence. [ 1913 Webster ]

Vice is the more stubborn as well as the more dangerous evil, and therefore, in the first place, to be fenced against. Locke. [ 1913 Webster ]

2. To practice the art of attack and defense with the sword or with the foil, esp. with the smallsword, using the point only. [ 1913 Webster ]

He will fence with his own shadow. Shak. [ 1913 Webster ]

3. Hence, to fight or dispute in the manner of fencers, that is, by thrusting, guarding, parrying, etc. [ 1913 Webster ]

They fence and push, and, pushing, loudly roar;
Their dewlaps and their sides are bat&unr_;ed in gore. Dryden. [ 1913 Webster ]

As when a billow, blown against,
Falls back, the voice with which I fenced
A little ceased, but recommenced. Tennyson. [ 1913 Webster ]

a. Affording defense; defensive. [ Obs. ] Congreve. [ 1913 Webster ]

a. Without a fence; uninclosed; open; unguarded; defenseless. Milton. [ 1913 Webster ]

n. One who fences; one who teaches or practices the art of fencing with sword or foil. [ 1913 Webster ]

As blunt as the fencer's foils. Shak. [ 1913 Webster ]

a. Capable of being defended, or of making or affording defense. [ Obs. ] [ 1913 Webster ]

No fort so fencible, nor walls so strong. Spenser. [ 1913 Webster ]

n. (Mil.) A soldier enlisted for home service only; -- usually in the pl. [ 1913 Webster ]

n. 1. The art or practice of attack and defense with the sword, esp. with the smallsword. See Fence, v. i., 2. [ 1913 Webster ]

2. Disputing or debating in a manner resembling the art of fencers. Shak. [ 1913 Webster ]

3. The materials used for building fences. [ U.S. ] [ 1913 Webster ]

4. The act of building a fence. [ 1913 Webster ]

5. The aggregate of the fences put up for inclosure or protection; as, the fencing of a farm. [ 1913 Webster ]

(Zool.) The mole cricket. [ Prov. Eng. ] [ 1913 Webster ]

n. A fiend. [ Obs. ] Chaucer. [ 1913 Webster ]

v. t. [ imp. & p. p. Fended; p. pr. & vb. n. Fending. ] [ Abbrev. fr. defend. ] To keep off; to prevent from entering or hitting; to ward off; to shut out; -- often with off; as, to fend off blows. [ 1913 Webster ]

With fern beneath to fend the bitter cold. Dryden. [ 1913 Webster ]

To fend off a boat or
To fend off a vessel (Naut.), to prevent its running against anything with too much violence. [ 1913 Webster ]

v. i. To act on the defensive, or in opposition; to resist; to parry; to shift off. [ 1913 Webster ]

The dexterous management of terms, and being able to fend . . . with them, passes for a great part of learning. Locke. [ 1913 Webster ]

n. [ From Fend, v. t. & i., cf. Defender. ] One who or that which defends or protects by warding off harm; as: (a) A screen to prevent coals or sparks of an open fire from escaping to the floor. (b) Anything serving as a cushion to lessen the shock when a vessel comes in contact with another vessel or a wharf. (c) A screen to protect a carriage from mud thrown off the wheels: also, a splashboard. (d) Anything set up to protect an exposed angle, as of a house, from damage by carriage wheels. [ 1913 Webster ]

a. Fiendlike. [ Obs. ] Chaucer. [ 1913 Webster ]