区别辨析defend、protect、safeguard、guard、shield、shelter与harbour

defend、protect、safeguard、guard、shield、shelter与harbour这些动词均有“保护、保卫”之意。

defend : 普通用词,指用武力或其它措施使人或物不受损害,消除危险。用作比喻时,指坚持某种行动、决定或意见。

  • All our officers are trained to defend themselves against knife attacks.
    我们所有的警察都接受过自卫训练,能够对付持刀袭击。
  • Politicians are skilled at defending themselves against their critics.
    从政者都善于为自己辩解,反驳别人的批评。

protect : 普通用词,指用某种手段作为防御工具以防危险或伤害。

  • Troops have been sent to protect aid workers against attack.
    已经派出部队保护援助工作人员免遭袭击。
  • They huddled together to protect themselves from the wind.
    他们挤在一起,免受风吹。

safeguard : 语气强,指采取积极措施预防可能发生的一切攻击或危险。

  • to safeguard a person's interests
    维护某人的利益
  • The new card will safeguard the company against fraud.
    新卡将保护公司免遭诈骗。

guard : 普通用词,指保持警惕以防可能的攻击或伤害。

  • Gunmen guarded homes near the cemetery with shotguns.
    持枪者手持猎枪守卫着墓地附近的房子。

shield : 语气比protect强,但侧重防止迫在眉睫的攻击或伤害。

  • He shielded his head from the sun with an old sack.
    他用一只旧口袋挡住头顶的阳光。
  • He was sensitive and highly-strung, and she had always tried to shield him from his father's sarcasm and violence.

shelter : 通常指寻找安全地方躲避风雨或使人免遭危害。

  • Trees shelter the house from the wind.
    树给房子挡住了风。
  • helping the poor and sheltering the homeless
    帮助贫穷者,庇护无家可归者

harbour : 贬义词,指隐匿或非法保护、窝藏。

  • Police believe someone must be harbouring the killer.
    警方相信一定有人窝藏了杀人犯。