défend

Défend is the third-person singular present indicative form of the French verb défendre, which means to defend or to protect. It can also convey the act of forbidding something, or of upholding a support or claim, depending on context. In everyday language, you will hear phrases such as "Il défend sa position" (he defends his position) or "Elle défend ses droits" (she defends her rights).

The primary sense of défendre is to protect or advocate. It regards safeguarding people, ideas, or values from harm or attack, and is commonly used with direct objects: "Il défend les faibles" (he defends the weak) or "La politique défend les intérêts du pays." In another sense, défendre can express prohibition or restriction, as in "On te défend d’entrer" (you are forbidden to enter). The construction "défendre de" or the polite imperative "défendez" is used when ordering or forbidding an action.

Etymology traces défendre to Old French defendre, from Latin defendere, combining elements meaning to drive away or ward off. The related noun défense refers to defense or protection, and the noun défense also denotes a prohibition, as in "défense de fumer" (no smoking). Related forms include défendeur/defendresse (advocate), and the verb is conjugated regularly among -re verbs.

See also: défense, défenseur, défendre (infinitive).