fend

1 try to manage without help; "The youngsters had to fend for themselves after their parents died"

2 withstand the force of something; "The trees resisted her"; "stand the test of time"; "The mountain climbers had to fend against the ice and snow" [syn: resist, stand]

English

Etymology

From fenden, shortening of defenden

Pronunciation

• Rhymes: -ɛnd

Verb

1. To take care of or responsibility for oneself.
   • 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.

   • 2003, Scott Turow Reversible Errors, [http://books.google.com/books?id=xgHjlsLhMUwC&pg=PA376&dq=fends+OR+fend+OR+fending+OR+fended+-as-best+-off+-for-herself+-for-himself+-for-themselves+-for-myself+-for-yourself+date:1900-2009+subject:fiction&lr=lang_en&as_brr=3&ei=YP0oSOLmA4LIigGoj-y-DQ&sig=iE939PKUiRFg9HP61QylkBC9fus page 376

     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.

2. To defend, to take care of; typically construed with for.
   • 1999, Kuan-chung Lo, Guanzhong Luo, Luo Guanzhong, Moss Roberts, Three Kingdoms: A Historical Novel, page 39

     He fends, he blocks, too skillful to be downed.

   • 2002, Jude Deveraux, A Knight in Shining Armor, page 187

     “ My age is lot like yours. Lone women do not fare well. If I were not there to fend for you, you—”

Translations

• Finnish: huolehtia, selviytyä

Derived terms

• fend and prove
• fend away
• fender
• fend for oneself
• fend off
• forfend

French

Verb

In 1948, Fritz Fend (1920-2000), a former aircraft designer, introduced in Rosenheim, Germany a small single-seater 3-wheeler named the Fend Flitzer. Initially it was intended to be an invalid car for those disabled as a result of World War II. Small motorcycle engines were used (38cc or 98cc). Small bicycle wheels were later replaced by scooter wheels. Later, Fend came to an agreement with aircraft designer Willy Messerschmitt for Fend's company to build Fend vehicles in the Messerschmitt factory at Regensburg. Part of the agreement was that the cars carried the Messerschmitt name.Hence the Fend Kabinenroller (cabinscooter)FK175 model became the Messerschmitt KR175.

In 2000, Fritz Fend created a new 4-wheeler prototype vehicle but his sudden death caused the end of his last project.

External links

• http://www.3wheelers.com/fend.html

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