Where did the phrase fend for yourself come from?
Where did the phrase fend for yourself come from?
When the verb fend is used this way, it is almost always followed by “for oneself” or “for himself” or “for herself,” and it’s been in use since the 1600’s. It originated as a shortened form of the verb defend, from the Latin root defendere, “to ward off, protect, or guard.”
What does fend for yourself mean?
: to do things without help : to do basic activities by oneself They had to fend for themselves while their mother was away. He’s been fending for himself since his wife died.
What does fend off mean?
to defend oneself against
: to defend oneself against (someone or something) They succeeded in fending off the attack/attackers. They have had to fend off allegations of voter fraud.
Can you fend for someone else?
To provide for, take care of, or defend someone without assistance: We watched the bear fending for her cubs as the hunters approached. I had to fend for myself when I arrived in Europe alone.
What is the meaning of caught in the crossfire?
idiom. to be involved in a situation where people around you are arguing: The Health Minister, who resigned today, claims she is an innocent victim caught in the crossfire of the current battle over inflation.
What is fend for yourself night?
That’s when I decided it was just going to be a fend for yourself dinner night. Have you ever done that? Just let everyone choose (and make) their own dinner food. It’s a nice break from preparing a full meal and spending up to a few hours in the kitchen.
What is fend for yourself Friday?
So I invented Fend For Yourself Fridays as an attempt to cut down on my workload. And the dishes. And the grocery shopping. And my stress levels. The idea is simple: apart from the three year-old everyone has to prepare, eat and clean-up their own dinner each Friday night.
Is fend a real word?
Fend is a verb that means to force back. Fend can also mean to provide for or support. Fend has a few other senses as a verb. Fend means to force back or repel someone or something.
What does to nip something in the bud mean?
Definition of nip (something) in the bud informal. : to stop (something) immediately so that it does not become a worse problem Inflation will only get worse if the government doesn’t do something right now to nip it in the bud.
What is definition of dented?
1 : a depression or hollow made by a blow or by pressure. 2 : an appreciable impression or effect often made against resistance hasn’t made a dent in the problem specifically : a weakening or lessening effect costs that have made a dent in the budget.
Whats does fluster mean?
a state of agitated confusion
Definition of fluster (Entry 1 of 2) transitive verb. 1 : to put into a state of agitated confusion : upset The speaker was obviously flustered by the interruption. ” Now don’t overexcite yourself, Grandpa,” Mrs.
What is the synonym of fend?
ward off, head off, stave off, hold off, keep off, repel, repulse, resist, forestall, pre-empt, fight off, defend oneself against, guard against, discourage, prevent, stop, put a stop to, block, intercept, halt, arrest, check, curb, hold back, balk, foil, thwart, keep at bay, keep at arm’s length.
What does Feaning mean?
feening (countable and uncountable, plural feenings) Obsessive craving, usually for drugs or alcohol.
What does fening mean?
fening in American English (ˈfɛnɪŋ ) noun. a monetary unit of Bosnia and Herzegovina, equal to 1⁄100 of a marka. Word origin. Serb, akin to Ger pfennig: see penny.
What does the idiom have a green thumb?
Definition of ‘have a green thumb’ to be very good at gardening. The usual British expression is have green fingers. She had a green thumb and, using only instinct and loads of manure, casually grew huge crops of fruit. Easy Learning Idioms Dictionary.