Protect Protected Prəˈtekt Helps Verb Bre Troops Aid

• troops have been sent to protect aid workers against attack.
• they huddled together to protect themselves from the wind.
• our aim is to protect the jobs of our members.
• each company is fighting to protect its own commercial interests.

protect

1. to make sure that somebody/something is not harmed, injured, damaged, etc.
• Troops have been sent to protect aid workers against attack.
• They huddled together to protect themselves from the wind.
• Our aim is to protect the jobs of our members.
• Each company is fighting to protect its own commercial interests.
• a paint that helps protect against rust
2. 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 plant is protected under the Wildlife and Countryside Act.
3. to help an industry in your own country by taxing goods from other countries so that there is less competition
• protected markets
4. to provide somebody/something with insurance against fire, injury, damage, etc.
• Many policies do not protect you against personal injury.
5. to restrict 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.

Extra Examples

• He felt it was his duty to protect the child.
• Keep the camera well protected at all times.
• Many of these sites—of immense scientific interest—are not legally protected.
• Protect the exposed areas of wood with varnish.
• Some pieces of music are protected by copyright.
• The Far Eastern markets are heavily protected.
• The equality of women is protected under law.
• The new measures are designed to protect the public from people like these.
• We must take steps to protect the UK as a manufacturing base.
• a constitutionally protected right of freedom of speech
• a cream that helps to protect your skin against the sun
• a federally protected game preserve
• a star who jealously protects her right to privacy
• The paint helps protect against rust.

Verb Forms

• present simple I / you / we / they protect
• he / she / it protects
• past simple protected
• past participle protected
• -ing form protecting

Word Origin

• late Middle English: from Latin protect- ‘covered in front’, from the verb protegere, from pro- ‘in front’ + tegere ‘to cover’.