pro ‧ tect S2 W2 /prəˈtekt/ BrE AmE verb
[ Word Family: noun : ↑ protection , ↑ protector , ↑ protectionism , ↑ protectionist , ↑ protectiveness , ↑ protectorate ; adjective : ↑ protected ≠ ↑ unprotected , ↑ protective , ↑ protectionist ; verb : ↑ protect ; adverb : ↑ protectively ]
[ Date: 1400-1500 ; Language: Latin ; Origin: past participle of protegere , from tegere 'to cover' ]
1 . [intransitive and transitive] to keep someone or something safe from harm, damage, or illness ⇨ protection , protective :
Are we doing enough to protect the environment?
protect somebody/something from something
The cover protects the machine from dust.
protect somebody/something against something
Physical exercise can protect you against heart disease.
protect against
Waxing your car will help protect against rust.
2 . [transitive usually passive] if an insurance company protects your home, car, life etc, it agrees to pay you money if things are stolen or damaged or you are hurt or killed SYN cover :
Unemployment insurance means that you are partially protected if you lose your job.
3 . [transitive] to help the industry and trade of your own country by taxing or restricting foreign goods
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THESAURUS
▪ protect to keep someone or something safe from harm, damage, or illness:
Don’t worry, I’ll protect you.
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The government wants to protect the environment.
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Eating healthily helps to protect against many diseases.
▪ give/offer/provide protection to protect someone from something harmful:
Wearing a hat offers some protection from the sun.
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The drug can give protection against cancer.
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The law provides no protection.
▪ guard to protect a person, place, or object by staying near them and watching them:
Police officers guarded the entrance to the building.
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He is guarded by armed men.
▪ save to protect someone or something when they are in danger of being harmed or destroyed:
Local people are fighting to save the theatre from demolition.
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Emergency aid could save millions of people who are threatened with starvation.
▪ preserve to keep something, especially buildings or the environment, from being harmed, destroyed, or changed too much:
The organization works to preserve forests.
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There is little money for preserving historic buildings.
▪ safeguard to protect something important, such as people’s rights, interests, jobs, health etc:
The deal will safeguard 200 jobs at the factory.
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Laws should do more to safeguard the rights of victims.
▪ shield to put something in front of something else to protect it. Also used to talk about protecting people from unpleasant situations:
He lifted his hand to shield his eyes from the light.
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They thought the public should be shielded from the truth.
▪ shelter to provide a place where someone or something is protected from the weather or from danger:
The village is sheltered by a belt of trees.
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His family had sheltered Jews during the war.
▪ harbour British English , harbor American English to help and protect someone who has done something illegal, and prevent the police from finding them:
He is accused of harbouring suspected terrorists.