Alexander Schmidt, Shakespeare Lexicon and Quotation Dictionary

Defend, 1) trans. a) to protect from violence or injury: “what thorns the growing rose --s,” Lucr. 492. Lucr. 492 Wiv. III, 3, 126. Tw. V, 88. John I, 242. IV, 3, 88. R2 II, 2, 113. H6C IV, 7, 38. R3 I, 4, 213. Troil. I, 2, 284 etc. Cor. I, 1, 219. Tim. II, 2, 158 “(what shall d. the interim?).” Hml. V, 2, 335. Lr. III, 6, 101. Per. I, 2, 30. II, 1, 135. “O d. me!” Tp. II, 2, 92. “O God, d. me!” Ado IV, 1, 78. Tw. III, 4, 331. R3 V, 3, 117. Caes. II, 3, 9. Lr. V, 3, 256. Per. IV, 2, 95. “God d. the right!” LLL I, 1, 216. R2 I, 3, 101. H6B II, 3, 55. “so d. thee heaven,” R2 I, 3, 15. R2 I, 3, 15 R2 I, 3, 15 Oth. III, 3, 373 (Ff forgive). “angels and ministers of grace d. us!” Hml. I, 4, 39.
Reflectively: “d. thyself,” H4A V, 4, 34. H5 I, 2, 179. H6C IV, 1, 45. R3 III, 5, 19. Cor. III, 2, 94. Lr. II, 1, 32. Oth. II, 3, 203.
Followed by from: “d. me from what is past,” Lucr. 1684. “heavens d. me from that Welsh fairy,” Wiv. V, 5, 85. Meas. III, 1, 268. Merch. I, 2, 57. R2 I, 1, 187. H5 I, 2, 141. H5 I, 2, 141 H6B IV, 5, 5. V, 3, 19. H6C IV, 3, 22. R3 I, 4, 114. Caes. V, 4, 23. Lr. III, 4, 31. Oth. III, 3, 175.
b) to maintain by force or by argument, to secure: “fair fall the wit that can so well d. her,” Ven. 472. “I lost the ring --ing it,” Merch. V, 178. Merch. V, 178 “let this d. my loyalty,” R2 I, 1, 67. “which in myself I boldly will d.” R2 I, 1, 67 “when Helen is --ed,” Troil. II, 2, 158. IV, 1, 58. Hml. IV, 4, 23. Lr. V, 1, 69.
c) to forbid: “hath he seen majesty? Isis else d.!” Ant. III, 3, 46. “heaven d. your good souls that you think . . .,” Oth. I, 3, 267. “God d. the lute should be like the case,” Ado II, 1, 98. R2 I, 3, 18. R3 III, 7, 81 (Qq forbid). R3 III, 7, 81 “God d. but God should go before such villains,” Ado IV, 2, 21. “God d. but still I should stand so,” H4A IV, 3, 38.
2) intr. to be prepared against attack, to make armaments: “lay down our proportions to d. against the Scot,” H5 I, 2, 137.