To ward off attacks against; to fight to protect; to guard.
To support by words or writing; to vindicate, talk in favour of.
To make legal defence of; to represent (the accused).
To focus one's energies and talents on preventing opponents from scoring, as opposed to focusing on scoring.
To attempt to retain a title, or attempt to reach the same stage in a competition as one did in the previous edition of that competition.
To call a raise from the big blind.
To ward off, repel (an attack or attacker).
To prevent, to keep (from doing something).
To prohibit, forbid.