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

protect

verb
 
/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/
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  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 environmenta2
    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
  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 environmenta2
    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
  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.
  6. 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 English
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