DICT.TW Dictionary Taiwan

 Fend v. t. [imp. & p. p. Fended; p. pr. & vb. n. Fending.]  To keep off; to prevent from entering or hitting; to ward off; to shut out; -- often with off; as, to fend off blows.
    With fern beneath to fend the bitter cold.   --Dryden.
 To fend off a boat or To fend off a vessel Naut., to prevent its running against anything with too much violence.