Shield Definition

shēld

shielded, shielding, shields

noun

shields

A flat, usually broad, piece of metal, wood, etc., carried in the hand or worn on the forearm to ward off blows or missiles.

Webster's New World

Any person or thing that guards, protects, or defends.

Webster's New World

A heraldic escutcheon.

Webster's New World

Anything shaped like a triangular shield, broad at the top and with curved sides, as an escutcheon, plaque, trophy, badge, or emblem.

Webster's New World

A heavy metal screen attached to an artillery piece for the protection of the gunners.

Webster's New World

Synonyms:

Antonyms:

verb

shielded, shielding, shields

To protect from being attacked, exposed to danger, or subjected to difficulty.

American Heritage Medicine

To be or provide a shield for; defend; protect; guard.

Webster's New World

To serve as a shield, or protection.

Webster's New World

To hide from view; screen.

Webster's New World

To cover up; conceal.

American Heritage

Synonyms:

Antonyms:

Other Word Forms of Shield

Singular:

shield

Plural:

From Middle English shelde, from Old English scield (“shield"), from Proto-Germanic *skelduz (“shield"), from Proto-Indo-European *(s)keit-, *(s)keid-, *kheit- (“shield, cover"). Cognate with West Frisian skyld, Dutch schild (“shield"), German Schild (“shield"), Danish skjold (“shield"), Icelandic skjöldur (“shield"), Latin scÅ«tum (“shield"), Irish sciath (“shield"), Latgalian Å¡kÄ«da (“shield"), Lithuanian skydas (“shield"), Russian щит (ščit, “shield").

From Wiktionary
Middle English sheld from Old English scield skel-¹ in Indo-European roots

From American Heritage Dictionary of the English Language, 5th Edition
From Old English scieldan.

From Wiktionary