protect

/prə-ˈtekt/

Middle English, from Latin protectus, past participle of protegere, from pro- in front + tegere to cover

verb

  1. to cover or shield from exposure, injury, damage, or destruction : guard

  2. defend

  3. to maintain the status or integrity of especially through financial or legal guarantees: such as

protect the goal

defend protect shield guard safeguard mean to keep secure from danger or against attack. defend denotes warding off actual or threatened attack. protect implies the use of something (such as a covering) as a bar to the admission or impact of what may attack or injure.

idiom

  1. to protect one's life

I've got to thank the soldiers who protected my ass during the war.