fend
fend — 動詞
1. to push away or stop something that is attacking or threatening you, or to keep
抵擋；擋開
推開或阻止攻擊、威脅或不受歡迎的人事物
to push away or stop something that is attacking or threatening you, or to keep an unwanted person or thing at a distance
The goalkeeper fended off three powerful shots in the final minutes of the match.
守門員在比賽的最後幾分鐘擋開了三次強勁的射門。
fend off + concrete object (shots)
Eli fended off a swarm of mosquitoes by lighting a citronella candle on the patio.
Eli 在露台上點了一根香茅蠟燭，擋開了一群蚊子。
fend off + living threat (mosquitoes)
The small bookstore fended off competition from a large chain by offering rare titles and author events.
那家小書店靠販售稀有書種和舉辦作者活動，擋開了大型連鎖店的競爭。
Sora used a wooden stick to fend off the stray dog that had followed him home.
Sora 用一根木棍擋開了跟在他回家的流浪狗。
Karim drinks ginger tea every morning during winter to fend off colds and sore throats.
Karim 冬天每天早上喝薑茶來預防感冒和喉嚨痛。
- repel
more formal; suggests driving back with force, often military or scientific
- ward off
interchangeable with 'fend off'; slightly more common for illness or bad luck
- keep at bay
idiomatic; suggests holding a threat at a distance without eliminating it
文法句型
fend + off + noun phrase
用法筆記
Nearly always used with 'off' as a phrasal verb. The object is typically a concrete attack, threat, illness, or competitor — not an abstract idea.
常見錯誤
2. to take care of yourself and meet your basic needs — such as finding food, shelt
自理；自立
無他人幫助下自己照顧自己
to take care of yourself and meet your basic needs — such as finding food, shelter, or money — without help from other people
Rin moved to a new city at eighteen and had to learn to fend for herself quickly.
Rin 十八歲搬到新城市，必須很快學會自己照顧自己。
fend for + reflexive pronoun (herself)
The stray kittens were old enough at eight weeks to fend for themselves without their mother.
那些流浪小貓八週大時就能離開媽媽自己覓食了。
fend for + themselves (animals)
During the three-day power outage, the neighbours agreed nobody should have to fend for themselves alone.
在那次為期三天的停電期間，鄰居們都認為不該讓任何人獨自面對困境。
Élise's parents urged her to take a summer job and learn to fend for herself financially.
Élise 的父母鼓勵她去打暑期工，學會在經濟上自立。
After the war, orphans were left to fend for themselves on the city streets.
戰爭結束後，許多孤兒被留在街頭自生自滅。
- shift for oneself
older, less common; means the same but sounds dated in modern English
- get by on one's own
slightly informal; emphasises coping with limited resources
- manage alone
more general; can apply to tasks rather than full survival
- depend on others
opposite of self-reliance
- be supported
opposite of providing for yourself
文法句型
fend + for + reflexive pronoun (yourself, himself, herself, themselves)
用法筆記
Always used with a reflexive pronoun (yourself, himself, herself, itself, themselves) followed by 'for'. The subject is usually a person or a living creature becoming independent.