FEND

v. 1 fend for oneself. get or scrape along (on one's own), make out, get by, make do, shift for oneself, take care of or provide for or support oneself Mother didn't believe I could fend for myself 2 fend off. discourage, parry, keep or hold at bay, resist, repel, stave or ward or fight off, deflect, turn aside, avert, divert We fended off our attackers for three days