Wiktionary
vb. 1 To ward off; to drive away; to turn away; to defend against; to repel with force or effort. 2 (context nautical English) To prevent (a vessel) from running against anything with too much violence.
WordNet
Usage examples of "fend off".
I first came to the Six Duchies, and to Shrewd's court all those years ago, to seek a way to fend off a disaster.
He seems able to fend off even the Whirlwind's Elder magic, evading my every effort to discern his soul.
We only have a handful of marines to fend off any boarding attempt.
He absently extended a hand to fend off the dus that intruded on them: the beasts could not seem to resist intervening in any quiet conversation, wanting to touch, to be as close as possible.
Winded, still stumbling off-balance from hurdling across the empty space, Pharaun surely couldn't fend off both of them at once.
He flailed his arms wildly before him to fend off the mystic, but Pagonel wasn’.
So I fend off guys in hockey or nudge Onc' Louie to cough up a little money when he's half lit.
And useless: there was no longer anything he could do to shape events, or fend off the ruin he'd set in motion.
On better ground his speed would have evened the odds, but trapped here in this watery pit he could only stand firm and fend off the taller man's bone- jarring swings.
Galen pulled his blade free and spun just in time to fend off the clawing hands of another troll, and another that came in beside it.
This way I was able to fend off the rocks with my feet, as the current hurled me against them.
We are not strong enough to war among ourselves and fend off the Saecsen as well.
She tried to fend off sleep because she feared the hunger of her nightmares.