fencing school

A place where the art of fencing is taught. fend (1), *tend-en, *fende, v. t. & i. [An abbre viation of defend (q. v.).] A. Transitive: I. Ordinary Language : 1. To defend; to guard; to protect. "He com right son Normundie to fende ." Robert de Brunne, p. 195. 2. To keep off; to ward off; to shut or keep out. "ïe had aye a good roof ower your head to fend aff the weather."- Scott : Antiquary , ch. xxxvii. 3. To support, to maintain. II. Naut .: To protect with fenders. B. Intransitive: 1. To dispute; to parry or shift off a charge, . "The dexterous management of terms, and being able to fent and prove with them."-Locke. 2. To make shift for. (Followed by for .) " Fended weel for ye on the ilka days besides."-Scott Old Mortality , ch. vii. *fend (2), v. t. [FAND.] To try, to tempt. *fend (1), fen, s. [FEND (1), v.] 1. The shift which one makes for one's self, whether for sustenance, or in any other respect. To make a fend, to do any work, or continue in any situation with some degree of difficulty. "Ne fend he fyndis quhiddir away to wend, Nor on quhat wyse hym self he may defend." Douglas: Virgil , 446, 35. 2. Provisions in a general sense. *fend-full, a. Full of shifts or expedients. *fend (2), s . [FIEND.] *fend-āçe, s. [Old Fr.] A protection for the throat, afterward replaced by the gorget.