shield

[ sheeld ]

/ ʃild /

Save This Word!

See synonyms for: shield / shielded / shielding / shields on Thesaurus.com

noun

a broad piece of armor, varying widely in form and size, carried apart from the body, usually on the left arm, as a defense against swords, lances, arrows, etc.

a similar device, often of lightweight plastic, used by riot police to protect themselves from rocks and other thrown objects.

something shaped like a shield, variously round, octagonal, triangular, or somewhat heart-shaped.

a person or thing that protects.

a police officer's, detective's, or sheriff's badge.

Ordnance. a steel screen attached to a gun to protect its crew, mechanism, etc.

Mining. a movable framework for protecting a miner from cave-ins, etc.

Electricity. a covering, usually made of metal, placed around an electric device or circuit in order to reduce the effects of external electric and magnetic fields.

Zoology. a protective plate or the like on the body of an animal, as a scute, enlarged scale, etc.

dress shield.

Heraldry. an escutcheon, especially one broad at the top and pointed at the bottom, for displaying armorial bearings.

Shield, Astronomy. the constellation Scutum.

Also called continental shield .Geology. a vast area of ancient crustal rocks which, together with a platform, constitutes a craton.

a protective barrier against nuclear radiation, especially a lead or concrete structure around a reactor.

verb (used with object)

to protect (someone or something) with or as if with a shield.

to serve as a protection for.

to hide or conceal; protect by hiding.

Obsolete. to avert; forbid.

verb (used without object)

to act or serve as a shield.

QUIZ

WILL YOU SAIL OR STUMBLE ON THESE GRAMMAR QUESTIONS?

Smoothly step over to these common grammar mistakes that trip many people up. Good luck!

Question 1 of 7

Fill in the blank: I can’t figure out _____ gave me this gift.

who

whom

TAKE THE QUIZ TO FIND OUT

Origin of shield

First recorded before 900; (noun) Middle English shelde, Old English sceld; cognate with Dutch, German Schild, Gothic skildus; (verb) Middle English shelden, Old English sceldan, scildan, derivative of the noun

OTHER WORDS FROM shield

shielder, nounshieldless, adjectiveshield·less·ly, adverbshield·less·ness, noun

shieldlike, adjectiveun·der·shield, nounun·shield·ed, adjectiveun·shield·ing, adjective

Dictionary.com Unabridged Based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2023

How to use shield in a sentence

Whitmer’s office also said face shields were considered a sufficient face covering for college football players.
Pennsylvania says all athletes must wear masks while playing. The Steelers say they’re exempt.|Matt Bonesteel|November 20, 2020|Washington Post
The company has installed a filtration system and clear plastic shields on its transport.
NYC for the holidays: The city’s classic traditions have been tweaked for the times|Andrea Sachs|November 19, 2020|Washington Post
It was mainly the case for protection, for PPE and for face shields, so that they could 3D print those face shields.
Leveraging collective intelligence and AI to benefit society|Jason Sparapani|November 18, 2020|MIT Technology Review
Fauquier officials are providing employees with two cloth masks each, as well as a reusable face shield.
Fauquier County Public Schools returns majority of students to classrooms|Hannah Natanson|November 9, 2020|Washington Post

I look forward to getting custom shields for the side to make this thing a little less prominent.
Review: Sony’s PlayStation 5 is here, but next-generation gaming is still on its way|Devin Coldewey|November 6, 2020|TechCrunch
Despite shielding himself from the spotlight, Nauman has remained in demand and highly influential.
The Artist Who Gets Away With Everything|Justin Jones|May 8, 2014|DAILY BEAST
Shielding students from the cissexism of the Western canon was too silly even for Oberlin.
Warning: This Column Will Offend You|Michael Moynihan|April 28, 2014|DAILY BEAST
The man next to him held a large piece of cardboard above his head, shielding his face from the baking sun.
Egypt’s Day of Rage|Sophia Jones|August 16, 2013|DAILY BEAST
Teachers showed uncommon courage, shielding their students with their bodies and speaking to them about love.
Oklahoma Tornado Devastation: What the Twister Left Behind|Michael Daly|May 22, 2013|DAILY BEAST
Instead, the government is shielding the industry from liability and helping keep the scope of the deaths secret.
If a Windmill Kills an Eagle, Does the Government Make a Sound?|Justin Green|May 14, 2013|DAILY BEAST
The flame wavered, paled by daylight, but shielding itself with strong smoke, and leaped from ledge to ledge.
Lazarre|Mary Hartwell Catherwood
Outside Aberdour, and partly shielding the bay, is Inchcolm Island.
The Rivers of Great Britain: Rivers of the East Coast|Various
For answer Cameron put his arms about her and drew her behind him, shielding her as best he could with his body.
Corporal Cameron|Ralph Connor
Hradzka pulled the main switch; there was a click as the shielding went out and the door opened.
Flight From Tomorrow|Henry Beam Piper
He was curled up, naked, in the back of the cell, shielding himself from the camera and our stares.
Little Brother|Cory Doctorow

British Dictionary definitions for shield

shield

/ (ʃiːld) /

noun

any protection used to intercept blows, missiles, etc, such as a tough piece of armour carried on the arm

any similar protective device

Also called: scutcheon, escutcheon heraldry a pointed stylized shield used for displaying armorial bearings

anything that resembles a shield in shape, such as a prize in a sports competition

the protective outer covering of an animal, such as the shell of a turtle

physics a structure of concrete, lead, etc, placed around a nuclear reactor or other source of radiation in order to prevent the escape of radiation

a broad stable plateau of ancient Precambrian rocks forming the rigid nucleus of a particular continentSee Baltic Shield, Canadian Shield

short for dress shield

civil engineering a hollow steel cylinder that protects men driving a circular tunnel through loose, soft, or water-bearing ground

the shield informal

Australian short for the Sheffield Shield
NZ short for the Ranfurly Shield

verb

(tr) to protect, hide, or conceal (something) from danger or harm

Derived forms of shield

shielder, nounshieldlike, adjective

Word Origin for shield

Old English scield; related to Old Norse skjöldr, Gothic skildus, Old High German scilt shield, Old English sciell shell

Collins English Dictionary - Complete & Unabridged 2012 Digital Edition © William Collins Sons & Co. Ltd. 1979, 1986 © HarperCollins Publishers 1998, 2000, 2003, 2005, 2006, 2007, 2009, 2012

Scientific definitions for shield

shield

[ shēld ]

A wall or housing of an absorbing material, such as concrete or lead, built around a nuclear reactor to prevent the escape of radiation.

A structure or arrangement of metal plates or mesh designed to protect a piece of electronic equipment from electrostatic or magnetic interference.

A large geographic area where rocks of a continent's craton (the ancient, relatively undisturbed portion of a continental plate) are visible at the surface. A shield is often surrounded by platforms covered with sediment.

shield

Origin of shield

OTHER WORDS FROM shield

Words related to shield

How to use shield in a sentence

British Dictionary definitions for shield

Derived forms of shield

Word Origin for shield

Scientific definitions for shield