Protect Verb - Definition, Pictures, Pronunciation And Usage Notes

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Definition of protect verb from the Oxford Advanced Learner's Dictionary

protect verb OPAL W  /prəˈtekt/  /prəˈtekt/Verb Forms

present simple I / you / we / they protect	/prəˈtekt/  /prəˈtekt/
he / she / it protects	/prəˈtekts/  /prəˈtekts/
past simple protected	/prəˈtektɪd/  /prəˈtektɪd/
past participle protected	/prəˈtektɪd/  /prəˈtektɪd/
-ing form protecting	/prəˈtektɪŋ/  /prəˈtektɪŋ/

jump to other results

1.   [transitive, intransitive] to make sure that somebody/something is not harmed, injured, damaged, etc.
   • protect somebody/something/yourself to protect children/citizens/civilians/consumers/workers
   • Our aim is to protect the jobs of our members.
   • the section of the treaty that protects the rights of employees
   • Each company is fighting to protect its own commercial interests.
   • A majority of Democrats believe that such regulations protect the public.
   • protect somebody/something/yourself against something Troops have been sent to protect aid workers against attack.
   • protect somebody/something/yourself from something They huddled together to protect themselves from the wind.
   • protect against something a paint that helps protect against rust
   • protect from something Vitamin B12 may have a role in protecting from heart disease.
   Extra Examples
   • He felt it was his duty to protect the child.
   • Keep the camera well protected at all times.
   • a cream that helps to protect your skin against the sun
   • Protect the exposed areas of wood with varnish.
   • Some pieces of music are protected by copyright.
   • a star who jealously protects her right to privacy
   • a constitutionally protected right of freedom of speech
   • The equality of women is protected under law.
   • The new measures are designed to protect the public from people like these.
   Topics The environmenta2Oxford Collocations Dictionaryadverb
   • completely
   • fully
   • adequately
   • …
   verb + protect
   • need to
   • seek to
   • strive to
   • …
   preposition
   • against
   • from
   • with
   • …
   phrases
   • be aimed at protecting something
   • constitutionally protected
   • federally protected
   • …
   See full entry
2.   [transitive, usually passive] protect something to introduce laws that make it illegal to kill, harm or damage a particular animal, area of land, building, etc.
   • a protected area/species
   • the need to protect the environment
   • to be protected by something Polar bears have been protected by law in Norway since 1973.
   • The plant is protected under the Wildlife and Countryside Act.
   Extra Examples
   • Many of these sites—of immense scientific interest—are not legally protected.
   • a federally protected game preserve
   Topics The environmenta2Oxford Collocations Dictionaryadverb
   • completely
   • fully
   • adequately
   • …
   verb + protect
   • need to
   • seek to
   • strive to
   • …
   preposition
   • against
   • from
   • with
   • …
   phrases
   • be aimed at protecting something
   • constitutionally protected
   • federally protected
   • …
   See full entry
3. [transitive, usually passive] protect something to help an industry in your own country by taxing goods from other countries so that there is less competition
   • protected markets
   Extra Examples
   • The Far Eastern markets are heavily protected.
   • We must take steps to protect the UK as a manufacturing base.
   Oxford Collocations Dictionaryadverb
   • completely
   • fully
   • adequately
   • …
   verb + protect
   • need to
   • seek to
   • strive to
   • …
   preposition
   • against
   • from
   • with
   • …
   phrases
   • be aimed at protecting something
   • constitutionally protected
   • federally protected
   • …
   See full entry
4. [transitive, intransitive] protect (somebody/something) (against something) to provide somebody/something with insurance against fire, injury, damage, etc.
   • Many policies do not protect you against personal injury.
5. [transitive] protect something (against/from something) (computing) to limit access to data, a web page, etc., for example by using passwords or encryption (= special codes)
   • Security products are designed to protect information from unauthorized access.
   • All these pages are password-protected.
Word Originlate Middle English: from Latin protect- ‘covered in front’, from the verb protegere, from pro- ‘in front’ + tegere ‘to cover’.

See protect in the Oxford Advanced American DictionarySee protect in the Oxford Learner's Dictionary of Academic EnglishCheck pronunciation: protect

Other results

All matches

• write-protect verb
• the Campaign to Protect Rural England
• Campaign to Protect Rural England

Nearby words

• protean adjective
• protease noun
• protect verb
• protection noun
• protectionism noun

gaze verb From the Word list Oxford 5000 C1 Oxford Learner's Dictionaries Word of the Day