Sentence Examples:
His intuition told him it was the wrong thing to do, and he was glad that sheet and tiller kept his hands occupied and fended off temptation.
There is only one way of fending off such an embarrassment; and that is, to resolve, whatever may be the amount of one's income, to lay aside some part to serve as a reliance in time of trouble.
Marco had a pole, with an iron spike and also an iron hook in the end of it, which he used to fend off with, as they called it, when the boat was in danger of running against any obstacle.
Even the adroit efforts which were made to get from the incoming executive expressions that could be interpreted as endorsements of nullification were successfully fended off.
Deep verandas ran around the bungalows, with bamboo drops which were always down in the daytime, fending off the treacherous sunshine.
In a few moments they dropped the sail and fended off from the chaser's side, just as Captain Bridger reached the spot too.
As it was, he fended off some dark blot bobbing through the water, his palm meeting it with a force that jarred his bones.
The shadows deepened until she tripped over roots and stones, and snagged her hair and clothing on branches she could not see in time to fend off.
He took me down to the quay; and there, sure enough, we stepped on board a boat lying ready, with two men in her, who fended off and began to hoist sails at once.
It was a difficult job, requiring great exertion in lifting and pushing and fending off, so when Prof. gave the word to camp on the left, we were all glad enough to do so.
Men now are proud of belonging to a conquering nation, and without a murmur they lay down their persons and their wealth, if by so doing they may fend off subjection.
Being small of stature and extremely agile, and being provided with a large target or shield, he was able successfully to fend off the deadly arrows from his person.
Suddenly he gave a shout, and plunged his long pole into the water, to fend off from a rock which a swirl in the stream had concealed.
Said the squire, making a blow of his cudgel at him, which was fended off by an iron pestle the apothecary fortunately had in his hand.
Hadley-Smith, fleeing alone, came through the doorway with both her arms outstretched to fend off possible collisions, a sharp low whisper spoken right alongside of her made her halt.
Tethered to a rope which gave him scarce twenty-five inches of leeway, he was in no fit condition to fend off the giant's assault.
Roosevelt flung himself from his horse "on the downstream side," and with one hand on the horn of the saddle fended off the larger blocks of ice from before his faithful horse.
We usually carried a bottle of brandy rolled up in our blankets, but that was used only as a medicine; a spoonful in hot water before going to bed, to fend off a chill and fever.
He took in his oar, and holding it in his hands, as if it had been a boat hook or a setting pole, he prepared to fend off from the piers when the boat went through.
David, who has joined the apprentices, fends off their teasing by privately preparing them for rich diversion presently at the song-trial.
Doubling up a dirty fist, he struck out, intending to hit Ben in the face; but our young adventurer was on his guard, and fended off the blow with his arms.
It was the "simple country wedding" to which guests are convoyed in special trains, and from which the hordes of the uninvited have to be fended off by the intervention of the police.
A jar against the side of the boat sent one or other of the two out to look, to greet a newcomer or to fend off a drift log.
Rick was eager to discuss the whole affair with Steve, but the young agent was adroit at fending off questions without being rude, and finally the boy gave up.
Each traveled with one hand outstretched to fend off branches, the other hand waving the fins to chase the insects from their faces.
Assurances that friendship with Murray was Malone's dearest ambition in life managed to fend off further blows until the car pulled to a stop in the lobby.
He rode down on the bucket, deftly balanced on the rim and fending off the wall with one hand, and when he came up he was smiling.
He compared his conduct in that great post to that of a man floating down a river and fending off from his vessel, as well as he could, the various obstacles it encountered.
The fisherman caught up an oar he carried for emergencies, and skillfully fended off the Pet, which was drifting down on him.
I was getting confused again, trying to tie it, so to fend off a return of the shakes I forced another blank into my mind.
That'll fend off rocks from the back and sides, anyhow, and if anybody tries to stop us before we get to the works, whip up and drive for all you're worth.
Now I have come to a time when I depend upon an armor, which fends off outside troubles, but also keeps in those I already have.
All right, my lad; so long as there's a drop of blood in my body, no harm shall come to either of you that Ben Harden can fend off.
The Reindeer attempts to fend off the fly, striking at it with its hoofs and keeping its nostrils closed as far as possible.
The waterway was narrowing now; she shipped her oars and stood up, using one as a paddle, and instructing the Urchin how to fend off the boat's stern with his hands.
As we fended off the oar snapped and splintered, and he tumbled into the water with a great splash, while we swerved and rocked for a moment and then sped on through the little strait.
Frightened at the turn things were taking, and dreading the consequences of the assent given to Marat's appeal, I attempted to fend off the massacre of the prisoners.
The river, from shore to shore, was filled with soldiers fending off as best they might the merciless rain of darts and arrows.
When I touched her she did not seem to feel me; she worked her hands in front of her, as though she was fending off something.
The south instinctively felt that the time for her old tactics was over, and that she must do more than merely fend off the blows of abolition.
Aunt Mildred begged her husband, having vainly tried with signs to fend off the threatened admission of the Prince's state of mind.
Instead of being cowed by these temporary setbacks it only resumed the attack with added zeal; so that Jimmie had often to throw up his left arm in addition, to fend off his foe.
During the afternoon, to fend off his melancholy thoughts, Jack decided to write down all that had happened since the eventful voyage of the lost liner started.
He walked along as well as he could, stooping occasionally to avoid creepers, using his musket now as a staff, now as a means of fending off obstructions.
He leaned still further over the bow, as though bent upon reaching out to fend off from the object that was floating like a derelict upon the bosom of the great river.
At a street corner here and there is an ancient cannon, buried muzzle upwards into the ground, that serves to fend off from the sidewalk such wheeled traffic as exists.
He bounded upon the woman, holding his hands outstretched before his face as though to fend off something unspeakably hideous and terrifying.
She had fended off the attentions of many an importunate suitor from her beautiful mistress but never one who engaged at once so much of her sympathy and respect as he.
When the steamer rocked us the other night Jake and Doctor turned out in their nightgowns to fend off, and then stood leaning over the rail talking for a time.
With one in the stern and another at the bow, taking turns, the rescuers did all they could to prevent the boat from being damaged, by fending off logs and heavy driftwood.
Strange to say, this shadowy suggestion in a dropped voice, to fend off the dangers of empty space, seems to convey a distinct impression to its hearer, for she says, "Suppose they are, what then?"
Of course, if you throw an iron into a whale, he'll kick and struggle just as you or I would; and if a boat happens to be right in his way, why, the hardest fends off.
There is only one way to fend off such an embarrassment, and that is to resolve, whatever may be the amount of the income, to lay aside some part to serve as a reliance in time of trouble.
Roger crouched in the bow and fended off from the rocks, so that the glancing blows the boat received would not damage the tough skins of which the craft was made.
The young motorist had been successfully fending off the attempt of Brady to get into his coat pocket; now, thinking Carl might need him, he undertook more aggressive measures.
Leaning against the end of the bar with his back against the wall to fend off a possible felon stroke, his pose was one of studied carelessness.
They relied upon constant torpedo attacks to fend off our battleships, while their own big vessels worked themselves clear.
He joined in it now, with a vigor that fended off the dolor of the stormy sunset and the inching sleigh on its high lonely trail.
Griffin claimed was true, and that by successive injunctions it was possible to fend off a decision for months, sometimes years.
The same gust so nearly brought our boat into collision with the "White Rabbit" that we were getting out oars, to try to fend off, while those on board the yacht hastily took in their last sail.
Those who held younger animals formed with their bodies a sort of barricade with which to fend off the aggressor, when no other expedient could be resorted to.
He was about to fend off the rude craft that had saved the lives of Bob and Professor Snodgrass when the latter uttered a cry.
The storm met us near the top of a mountain, upon the line of Massachusetts and New York; obliging us to halt, and fend off the rain as best we might, by buttoning down the curtains.
The others were kept on deck, holding themselves in readiness to "fend off," if there should be danger of running into any of the vessels at the wharves.
This time his driver put out his lights, and they followed, Andy in the meantime having agreed to fend off any police charges that might be brought for running without lights.
He partially fended off the first blow but another, starting low and coming up with tremendous force, caught him on the point of the chin.
That official grinned knowingly as I appeared, unlocked the gate, and, fending off with one hand several elusive urchins, admitted me to the noonday solitude of the forest of pillars.
She dashed her hand across her eyes as if to fend off a sudden storm of tears; then threw her arms round my neck and pressed me close to her bosom.
The tarpaulin covering has to be removed, the falls cleared away and carefully tendered, and the boat fended off as it goes down the side.
From the position of Jab, the men will be practiced in fending off an attack made on any part of their body by an opponent.
He then noticed for the first time that the lamp before him had protruding sides that fended off the rays to the right and left.
Little boats, mere six foot rafts, each held a girl and man; the man paddling, the girl fending off flowers with which she was pelted by young men on other rafts, or on the shore.
Now, in a short space of time, Buck had seen how that same radio set that he had scoffed at had been utilized to fend off the bears, and he was about to see it utilized to cook their food.
The hundred-year-old house in the country would continue to fend off the winters and to doze through the summers in its great lawns.
In this way, mature plants can fend off competition by using the moisture that would be required for a potentially encroaching plant to become established.
Others are up to their waists in the rushing water, by main force fending off the boat from being dashed against the rocks.
Two broad-shouldered fellows were at the oars, and in the bow was another, pole in hand, prepared to fend off drifting logs.
The universe wheeled crazily as Jon fended off the other's gauntlets as they grabbed for his tank hoses, and then he struck with all the strength he could at the fragile face plate.
They waited patiently, eyes closed, blackout fended off by past conditioning in centrifuges and endless sessions of psychological preparation.
The crew were standing up: one of them steering, behind, and one at either edge, with oars, was helping to fend off from the bars.
We were spared the bumping and grinding against the side which so often accompanies the launching of boats: I do not remember that we even had to fend off our boat while we were trying to get free.
The man who was fending off Patsy comprehended these sentences that were screamed behind his back, and he explained to Patsy.
It briefly crossed his mind that the woman meant to entrap him on behalf of the court, but that was an objection he had no difficulty in fending off.
Instead of finding the enemy and assailing him with all their strength, they were waiting in doubt and alarm to fend off a stroke that would come from some unknown point out of the dark.
This came to him dimly as his left hand, which had been struggling to fend off the sword, gradually lost its grip on the German's sweaty slippery wrist.