ʃi:ld n. & v. --n. 1 a
esp.
hist. a
piece of
armour of esp.
metal, carried on
the arm or in the
hand to
deflect blows
from the
head or
body. b a
thing serving to
protect (insurance is a shield
against disaster). 2 a thing resembling a shield, esp.: a a
trophy in the
form of a shield. b a
protective plate or
screen in
machinery etc. c a shieldlike
part of an
animal, esp. a
shell. d a
similar part of a
plant. e Geol. a
large rigid area of the earth's
crust, usu. of
Precambrian rock,
which has been unaffected by later orogenic episodes. f US a policeman's shield-shaped
badge. 3
Heraldry a stylized
representation of a shield used
for displaying a
coat of arms etc. --v.tr. protect or screen, esp. from
blame or
lawful punishment. øshield
fern 1
any common fern of the
genus Polystichum,
with shield-shaped indusia. 2 =
BUCKLER 2. øøshieldless adj. [OE sc(i)eld f. Gmc: prob. orig. =
board, rel. to SCALE(1)]