shield
shield — noun
1. A flat piece of metal, wood, or leather carried on one arm by fighters in earlie
A flat piece of metal, wood, or leather carried on one arm by fighters in earlier times to stop arrows, swords, or spears from striking their body.
The Roman soldier lifted his shield to block a rain of arrows.
verb + shield: lift / raise / carry
Henry carried a heavy iron shield painted with the family crest.
In the museum display, a Viking shield sat next to a longsword.
Ancient Greek shields were made of bronze and covered the body from chin to knee.
用法筆記
This sense is primarily encountered in historical fiction, museum contexts, and discussions of ancient warfare. The modern protective device is typically referred to by its specific name (e.g. riot shield, face shield).
常見錯誤
2. A large flat board made from strong see-through plastic, used by police or soldi
A large flat board made from strong see-through plastic, used by police or soldiers as a barrier against hostile crowds or thrown objects.
The officers lined up, each holding a tall plastic shield.
holding / carrying a shield
Riot police raised their shields to block stones thrown by the crowd.
Nikhil watched as the security team formed a wall of shields at the front gate.
Each officer held a shield that could stop stones and bottles thrown by the crowd.
- riot shield
the full term used by police forces; more precise than shield alone in news reporting
用法筆記
Often modified by a specific purpose, such as riot shield, ballistic shield, or crowd-control shield. The basic noun shield alone is understood in context when police equipment is the topic.
3. A person, thing, or system acting as a barrier against danger, criticism, loss,
A person, thing, or system acting as a barrier against danger, criticism, loss, or similar unwanted effects.
Sunscreen acts as a shield against the sun's harmful rays.
acts as a shield against [something]
The mountain range forms a natural shield that protects the valley from cold winds.
Maja considered her close friends a shield against the loneliness of city life.
A good lawyer can be your strongest shield when facing legal trouble.
The insurance policy offered a financial shield against unexpected medical costs.
- threat
what a shield protects against
用法筆記
Typically appears in the pattern a shield against + threat. The subject can be concrete (sunscreen, barrier) or abstract (policy, friendship). Frequently used in figurative writing about finance, health, and personal relationships.
常見錯誤
4. A flat surface with a traditional shield outline on which a family, organization
A flat surface with a traditional shield outline on which a family, organization, or nation displays its coat of arms or heraldic symbols.
The family shield hung above the fireplace, showing three red lions.
family shield + heraldic symbols
Each university has its own ceremonial shield printed on official documents.
The museum catalog described the 14th-century shield with a golden eagle on a blue background.
The king's ceremonial shield displayed three golden lions on a red field.
- escutcheon
the precise heraldic term for the shield-shaped surface that carries a coat of arms
用法筆記
Frequently encountered in historical documents, university logos, and discussions of heraldry. The word escutcheon is the technical heraldic term for this shape.
5. An emblem or badge with a shield outline, worn to show a person's official rank,
An emblem or badge with a shield outline, worn to show a person's official rank, role, or group membership — for instance, the badge of a police officer.
The detective pinned his gold shield to the inside of his jacket.
gold shield = police badge (American usage)
The security guard wore a silver shield on his uniform cap.
Roya collected souvenir patches and shields from every national park she visited.
Each member of the royal guard had a small shield-shaped emblem stitched onto their sleeve.
- badge
the more general term; a shield is a specific shape of badge
用法筆記
In American English, police officers commonly refer to their badge as a shield. In British English, badge is the preferred term for this sense.
6. A prize given to the winner of a sports competition or contest, made in the form
A prize given to the winner of a sports competition or contest, made in the form of a shield.
The school hockey team won the championship shield for the third year in a row.
win / earn / receive a shield
Sana's name was engraved on the silver shield kept in the town hall entrance.
At the closing ceremony, the captain lifted the gold shield above her head.
The silver shield was carefully engraved with the names of all past winners dating back to 1985.
- trophy
general term for any prize; a shield is a specific type of trophy
用法筆記
Common in British school sports, where shield is used as the name for a perpetual trophy passed between winners each year.
shield — verb
1. To position yourself or an object between someone or something and a source of d
To position yourself or an object between someone or something and a source of danger or harm in order to keep them safe.
Heloísa shielded her face from the bright camera flash with both hands.
shield [body part] from [source of harm]
The mother duck spread her wings to shield her ducklings from the rain.
Quinn planted a row of tall bushes to shield the garden from the road noise.
The company tried to shield its employees from the worst effects of the budget cuts.
A thick blanket of snow shielded the young plants from the freezing temperatures.
- expose
removing protection that a shield provides
文法句型
shield + noun/pronoun + from/against + noun
用法筆記
Commonly used in the pattern shield + object + from/against + threat. The agent can be a person, an object, a natural feature, or an abstract system. The from preposition is more frequent in everyday language; against sounds slightly more formal.
常見錯誤
2. In soccer, to use your body as a barrier between the ball and an opposing player
In soccer, to use your body as a barrier between the ball and an opposing player, keeping your back to them so they cannot take the ball away.
Hamza shielded the ball from the defender while waiting for a teammate to run forward.
shield the ball from [opponent]
The striker expertly shielded the ball near the corner flag to run down the clock.
Lotte learned to shield the ball with her body during junior training sessions.
Élise shielded the ball skillfully until a teammate arrived to receive the pass.
文法句型
shield + the ball
用法筆記
Used almost exclusively in soccer commentary and training. The object of the verb is always the ball. The preposition from introduces the opponent being kept away.
3. For a person with a high-risk medical condition to stay at home and avoid contac
For a person with a high-risk medical condition to stay at home and avoid contact with people outside their household in order to reduce the chance of catching a dangerous infection.
Because she had a lung condition, Sivan shielded for twelve weeks during the outbreak.
shield + duration: for [time period]
Patients who are shielding receive priority delivery slots for their groceries.
passive: be shielding / be advised to shield
The government sent letters advising clinically vulnerable people to shield.
Christopher's doctor told him to shield until the local infection rate dropped.
- self-isolate
broader — applies to anyone who may have been exposed, not just the clinically vulnerable
- quarantine
imposed by authorities, often after known exposure, rather than a voluntary protective choice
文法句型
shield (at home)
be shielding
用法筆記
This sense became prominent during the COVID-19 pandemic, especially in UK public health guidance. The verb is used intransitively (patients shield) or in progressive form (they are shielding). Unlike the protective verb sense, there is no object — the person is both the agent and the receiver of the protection.