From Middle English fenden (“defend, fight, prevent”), shortening of defenden (“defend”), from Old French deffendre (Modern French défendre), from Latin dēfendō (“to ward off”), from dē- + *fendō (“hit, thrust”), from Proto-Italic *fendō, from Proto-Indo-European *gʷʰen- (“strike, kill”).
Meanings
(obsolete, uncountable) Self-support; taking care of one's own well-being.
From Middle English fenden (“defend, fight, prevent”), shortening of defenden (“defend”), from Old French deffendre (Modern French défendre), from Latin dēfendō (“to ward off”), from dē- + *fendō (“hit, thrust”), from Proto-Italic *fendō, from Proto-Indo-European *gʷʰen- (“strike, kill”).
Meanings
(intransitive) To take care of oneself; to take responsibility for one's own well-being.
1990, Messrs Howley and Murphy, quoted in U.S. House Subcommittee on Labor Standards, Oversight hearing on the Federal Service Contract Act, U.S. Government Printing Office, page 40,
Mr. Howley. They are telling him how much they will increase the reimbursement for the total labor cost. The contractor is left to fend as he can.
Chairman Murphy. Obviously, he can’t fend for any more than the money he has coming in.
The planet was full of creatures in need, who could not really fend, and the law was at its best when it ensured that they were treated with dignity. 2003, Scott Turow, Reversible Errors, page 376:
(qualifier:except as "fend for oneself", rare) To defend, to take care of (typically construed with for); to block or push away (typically construed with off).
“[…] My age is lot like yours. Lone women do not fare well. If I were not there to fend for you, you—” 2002, Jude Deveraux, A Knight in Shining Armor, page 187:
With fern beneath to fend the bitter cold. 1697, Virgil, “The Third Book of the Georgics”, in John Dryden, transl., The Works of Virgil: Containing His Pastorals, Georgics, and Æneis. […], London: […] Jacob Tonson, […], →OCLC:
He fends, he blocks, too skillful to be downed. 1999, Luo Guanzhong, translated by Moss Roberts, Three Kingdoms: A Historical Novel, page 39:
fi pärjätä (to take care of or responsibility for oneself) · fi selviytyä (to take care of or responsibility for oneself) · de für sich selbst sorgen (to take care of or responsibility for oneself) · bg грижа се (to take care of or responsibility for oneself) · nl zijn eigen boontjes doppen (to take care of or responsibility for oneself) · fi pitää huolta itsestään (to take care of or responsibility for oneself) · fi pitää puolta (to defend, block or push away) · mi matatā (to defend, block or push away) · mi pārai (to defend, block or push away) · bg отклонявам (to defend, block or push away) · mi whakangungu (to defend, block or push away) · de alleine auskommen (to take care of or responsibility for oneself) · es valerse por sí mismo (to take care of or responsibility for oneself) · et tõrjuma (to take care of or responsibility for oneself) · bg парирам (to defend, block or push away) · fr prendre soin de soi (to take care of or responsibility for oneself) · fi torjua (to defend, block or push away) · cmn 挡住 (to defend, block or push away) · fi huolehtia itsestään (to take care of or responsibility for oneself)
From Middle English fēnd, feond, from Old English fēond (“adversary, foe, enemy, fiend, devil, Satan”), from Proto-Germanic *fijandz, present participle of *fijaną, from Proto-Indo-European *peh₁- (“to hate”). More at fiend.