fend

Etymology 1

From Middle English fenden (“defend, fight, prevent”), shortening of defenden (“defend”), from Old French deffendre (Modern French défendre), from Latin dēfendō (“to ward off”), from dē- + *fendō (“hit, thrust”), from Proto-Italic *fendō, from Proto-Indo-European *gʷʰen- (“strike, kill”).

verb

1. (intransitive) To take care of oneself; to take responsibility for one's own well-being.
   1990, Messrs Howley and Murphy, quoted in U.S. House Subcommittee on Labor Standards, Oversight hearing on the Federal Service Contract Act, U.S. Government Printing Office, page 40, Mr. Howley. They are telling him how much they will increase the reimbursement for the total labor cost. The contractor is left to fend as he can. Chairman Murphy. Obviously, he can’t fend for any more than the money he has coming in.
   The planet was full of creatures in need, who could not really fend, and the law was at its best when it ensured that they were treated with dignity. 2003, Scott Turow, Reversible Errors, page 376
2. (rare, except as "fend for oneself") To defend, to take care of (typically construed with for); to block or push away (typically construed with off).
   With fern beneath to fend the bitter cold.
   He fends, he blocks, too skillful to be downed. 1999, Kuan-chung Lo, Guanzhong Luo, Luo Guanzhong, Moss Roberts, Three Kingdoms: A Historical Novel, page 39
   […] My age is lot like yours. Lone women do not fare well. If I were not there to fend for you, you— 2002, Jude Deveraux, A Knight in Shining Armor, page 187

noun

1. (obsolete) Self-support; taking care of one's own well-being.

Etymology 2

From Middle English fēnd, feond, from Old English fēond (“adversary, foe, enemy, fiend, devil, Satan”), from Proto-Germanic *fijandz, present participle of *fijaną, from Proto-Indo-European *peh₁- (“to hate”). More at fiend.

noun

1. (UK dialectal) An enemy; fiend; the Devil.