Collins COBUILD Advanced Learner's English Dictionary - fend off

1. If you fend off unwanted questions, problems, or people, you stop them from affecting you or defend yourself from them, but often only for a short time and without dealing with them completely. He looked relaxed and determined as he fended off questions from the world’s Press... He had struggled to pay off creditors but couldn’t fend them off any longer. PHRASAL VERB: V P n (not pron), V n P 2. If you fend off someone who is attacking you, you use your arms or something such as a stick to defend yourself from their blows. He raised his hand to fend off the blow. = ward off PHRASAL VERB: V P n (not pron), also V n P