To make or keep safe from danger, attack, or harm, To represent (a defendant) in a civil or criminal action, To make a defense, transitive verb_ To repel danger or harm from; to protect; to secure against attack; to maintain against force or argument; to uphold; to guard; ; -- sometimes followed by from or against, To support by words or writing; to vindicate, talk in favour of, verb_ protect or fight for as a champion, fight against or resist strongly, state or assert