fending
Keeping at bay
Fending is the act of warding off or defending against something.
It appears almost exclusively in two phrases: fending off means repelling or deflecting—fending off attackers, fending off criticism, fending off unwanted advances.
Fending for oneself means managing without help, taking care of one's own needs: The kids were left fending for themselves while their parents worked.
Defensive blade deflection
- blockSolid mass, or impede
- deflectTurn from course
- repelDrive off or disgust
- wardProtected person; division
counter · intercept · thwart · rebuff · stave · resist · hold off · beat back
Seeking wild food sources
- scroungingSeeking handouts resourcefully
- subsistingContinuing to exist
- eking outObtaining with difficulty
- strugglingExperiencing serious difficulty
scrimping · improvising · adapting · enduring · persevering · making ends meet · getting along · muddling through
Freedom from external control
- self-sufficiencyIndependence from outside aid
- autonomyIndependent decision-making capacity
- resourcefulnessAbility to solve problems creatively
- self-supportSustaining oneself unaided
self-sustaining · bootstrapping · making do · getting by · standing alone · going solo · survival · coping
parry
Defensive blade deflection
ward · counter · intercept · thwart · rebuff · stave · resist · hold off · beat back · turn away
foraging
Seeking wild food sources
- scroungingSeeking handouts resourcefully
- subsistingContinuing to exist
- eking outObtaining with difficulty
struggling · scrimping · improvising · adapting · enduring · persevering · making ends meet · getting along · muddling through · toughing out
independence
Freedom from external control
- self-sufficiencyIndependence from outside aid
- autonomyIndependent decision-making capacity
- resourcefulnessAbility to solve problems creatively
self-support · self-sustaining · bootstrapping · making do · getting by · standing alone · going solo · survival · coping · scraping by
- defensedefending, protecting, protection, security, safety
- rugby skillstackle, pass, ruck, maul, scrum
- fending offDeflecting approaching threats
- fending for oneselfManaging independently without assistance
defend, defense, defender, defensive, defenseless, fend, fender, defence, fend off