shield /shēld/

1. A piece of armour, a broad plate carried to deflect weapons, esp one with a straight top and tapering curved sides
2. A protective plate, screen, pad, or other guard
3. The outer protective covering of certain animals, such as the carapace of a tortoise
4. Someone or something that protects from damage or danger
5. A tubular framework that supports the ground and protects workers during tunnelling
6. A shield-shaped design or object, eg an escutcheon used for displaying arms, or a piece of plate awarded as a prize
7. The large stable area of Precambrian rocks that forms the central part of a continent
8. A policeman's badge (US)

1. To protect by sheltering
2. To hide from view
3. To ward off
4. To forfend (Shakespeare)

shielˈder noun

shielˈding noun (nuclear eng; radiology)

Protective use of materials of low atomic number to reduce the energy of strong neutron beams, or of concrete, lead or other heavy materials to shield against radiation

shieldˈless adjective

shieldˈlike adjective

shieldˈling noun

A protected person

shieldˈ-arm noun

The left arm

shieldˈ-bearer noun

An attendant who carries a warrior's shield

shield bug noun

Any heteropterous insect of the superfamily Pentatomoidea, typically having flat, broad bodies shaped like heraldic shields

shielded line noun (elec eng)

A line or circuit shielded from external interference by highly conducting or magnetic material

shielded pair noun (telecommunications)

A balanced pair of insulated wires encased in a cable which prevents external interference

shield fern noun

Any evergreen or semi-evergreen fern of the genus Polystichum with scales covering the spore-producing pinnae

shieldˈ-hand noun

The left hand

shield ivy noun

A variety of common ivy, Hedera helix, with heart-shaped leaves (also called sweetheart ivy)

shield law noun (N American)

A law that protects journalists from being forced to reveal confidential information relating to sources, etc

shieldˈ-maid, shieldˈ-maiden or shieldˈ-may noun

1. An Amazon
2. A Valkyrie

shield of brawn noun

The thick skin of a pig's side, esp when stuffed with meat

shield pond or shielding pond noun (nuclear eng)

A deep tank of water used to shield operators from highly radioactive materials stored and manipulated at the bottom of it

shieldˈ-shaped adjective

• slang
• slanged
• slanger
• slangers
• slangier
• slangiest
• slangily
• slanginess
• slanginesses
• sesamoids
• sese
• seseli
• seselis
• sesey
• sesh
• seshes
• Sesotho
• sesqui-
• sesquialter
• sesquialtera
• sesquialteras
• sesquicarbonate
• sesquicentenary
• sesquicentennial
• sesquioxide