protect
Americanverb (used with object)
-
to defend or guard from attack, invasion, loss, annoyance, insult, etc.; cover or shield from injury or danger.
- Antonyms:
- attack
-
Economics. to guard (the industry or an industry of a nation) from foreign competition by imposing import duties.
-
to provide funds for the payment of (a draft, note, etc.).
verb (used without object)
verb
-
to defend from trouble, harm, attack, etc
-
economics to assist (domestic industries) by the imposition of protective tariffs on imports
-
commerce to provide funds in advance to guarantee payment of (a note, draft, etc)
Related Words
See defend.
Other Word Forms
- overprotect verb (used with object)
- protectability noun
- protectable adjective
- protectibility noun
- protectible adjective
- quasi-protected adjective
- semiprotected adjective
- unprotectable adjective
- unprotected adjective
- well-protected adjective
Etymology
Origin of protect
First recorded in 1520–30; from Latin prōtēctus “covered in front,” past participle of prōtegere “to cover in front,” equivalent to prō- pro- 1 + tegere “to cover” (akin to toga, thatch )
Example Sentences
Examples are provided to illustrate real-world usage of words in context. Any opinions expressed do not reflect the views of Dictionary.com.
“To protect yourself, you should ensure your estimate is part of a written contract signed by both parties before the move begins, providing you with documentation to contest discrepancies,” says Dina Sartore-Bodo, an editor at Realtor.com.
From MarketWatch
She sips tea throughout the interview in an effort to protect her voice, which is "really delicate" - not from the concerts, but because "I've been talking too much to my friends".
From BBC
To determine whether an employee’s speech is protected, there is often a balancing test between an individual’s rights and disruption to agency operations.
"Understanding the full picture is essential if we want to protect child health and reduce preventable environmental risks."
From Science Daily
Most efforts to create broader vaccines have aimed to protect against an entire viral family, such as all coronaviruses or all influenza strains, by targeting viral components that mutate less frequently.
From Science Daily
Definitions and idiom definitions from Dictionary.com Unabridged, based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2023
Idioms from The American Heritage® Idioms Dictionary copyright © 2002, 2001, 1995 by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. Published by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company.
