n.
Pronunciation: ' sh ē ld
Function: noun
Etymology: Middle English sheld, from Old English scield; akin to Old High German scilt shield and probably to Old English sciell shell
Date: before 12th century
1 : a broad piece of defensive armor carried on the arm
2 : one that protects or defends : DEFENSE
3 : DRESS SHIELD
4 a : a device or part that serves as a protective cover or barrier b : a protective structure (as a carapace, scale, or plate) of some animals
5 : ESCUTCHEON especially : one that is wide at the top and rounds to a point at the bottom
6 : the Precambrian nuclear mass of a continent that is surrounded and sometimes covered by sedimentary rocks
7 : something resembling a shield: as a : APOTHECIUM b : a police officer's badge c : a decorative or identifying emblem