- to defend from trouble, harm, attack, etc
- to assist (domestic industries) by the imposition of protective tariffs on imports
- to provide funds in advance to guarantee payment of (a note, draft, etc)
WordReference Random House Learner's Dictionary of American English © 2026
pro•tect /prəˈtɛkt/USA pronunciation
v.
WordReference Random House Unabridged Dictionary of American English © 2026- to defend or guard from attack, invasion, loss, insult, etc.;
cover;
shield: [~ + object]The turtle's shell protects it from harm.[no object]The police are there to protect. - Business[~ + object] to guard (an industry) from foreign competition, as by charging import duties on the products of the competition.
pro•tect
(prə tekt′),USA pronunciation v.t.
v.i.
pro•tect′i•ble, pro•tect′a•ble, adj.
pro•tect′i•bil′i•ty, pro•tect′a•bil′i•ty, n.
- to defend or guard from attack, invasion, loss, annoyance, insult, etc.;
cover or shield from injury or danger. - Business[Econ.]to guard (the industry or an industry of a nation) from foreign competition by imposing import duties.
- to provide funds for the payment of (a draft, note, etc.).
v.i.
- to provide, or be capable of providing, protection:a floor wax that protects as well as shines.
- Latin prōtēctus, past participle of prōtegere to cover in front, equivalent. to prō- pro-1 + teg-, stem of tegere to cover (akin to toga, thatch) + -tus past participle suffix
- 1520–30
pro•tect′i•bil′i•ty, pro•tect′a•bil′i•ty, n.
- 1. screen, shelter. See defend.
- 1. attack.
Collins Concise English Dictionary © HarperCollins Publishers::
protect /prəˈtɛkt/ vb (transitive)
'protect' also found in these entries (note: many are not synonyms or translations):
Agadir
- AIDS
- apron
- baker's dozen
- barbican
- barrage
- barrier cream
- beaver
- bell jar
- bib
- biodefence
- bless
- board shorts
- bodyguard
- boilersuit
- boom
- box
- breakwater
- buffer
- bumper
- chamber of commerce
- charm
- clamp
- cloche
- cocoon
- cold frame
- conserve
- conservator
- consul
- corner
- cover
- crash helmet
- cushion
- damp-proof
- dashboard
- defend
- dodger
- dust jacket
- dustsheet
- dyke
- earth up
- elytron
- embank
- ensure
- favour
- fireguard
- flanker
- forfend
- fortress
- garage