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Verb: fend off  fend óf
  1. Prevent the occurrence of; prevent from happening; to protect from or to keep away anything undesirable; to ward off
    "They managed to fend off the crisis through quick action";
    - forefend [archaic], forfend [archaic], obviate, deflect, avert, head off, stave off, avoid, ward off

Derived forms: fending off, fends off, fended off

Type of: forbid, foreclose, forestall, preclude, prevent