a broad piece of armor, varying widely in form and size, carried apart from the body, usually on the left arm, as a defense against swords, lances, arrows, etc.

a similar device, often of lightweight plastic, used by riot police to protect themselves from rocks and other thrown objects.

something shaped like a shield, variously round, octagonal, triangular, or somewhat heart-shaped.

a person or thing that protects.

a police officer's, detective's, or sheriff's badge.

Ordnance . a steel screen attached to a gun to protect its crew, mechanism, etc.

Mining . a movable framework for protecting a miner from cave-ins, etc.

Electricity . a covering, usually made of metal, placed around an electric device or circuit in order to reduce the effects of external electric and magnetic fields.

Zoology . a protective plate or the like on the body of an animal, as a scute, enlarged scale, etc.

dress shield.

Heraldry . an escutcheon, esp. one broad at the top and pointed at the bottom, for displaying armorial bearings.

( initial capital letter ) Astronomy . the constellation Scutum.

Also called continental shield. Geology . a vast area of ancient crustal rocks which, together with a platform, constitutes a craton.

a protective barrier against nuclear radiation, esp. a lead or concrete structure around a reactor.

to protect (someone or something) with or as if with a shield.

to serve as a protection for.

to hide or conceal; protect by hiding.

Obsolete . to avert; forbid.

to act or serve as a shield.

verb

endanger , lay bare , open , uncover

noun

absorber , aegis , armament , armor , buckler , buffer , bulwark , bumper , cover , defense , escutcheon , guard , mail , rampart , safeguard , screen , security , shelter , ward , preservation , protection , protector , gis , palladium , pavis , pavise , scutcheon , scutum , targe , target , testudo , tortoise

verb

bulwark , chamber , conceal , cover , cover all bases , cover up , defend , fend , give cover , give shelter , go to bat for * , guard , harbor , haven , house , ride shotgun * , roof , safeguard , screen , secure , shelter , shotgun , stonewall * , take under one’s wing , ward off , preserve , protect , ward , aegis , armament , armor , badge , buckler , bumper , canopy , cloak , ecu , egis , escutcheon , hide , pavis , prevent , protection , repel , shade , shell , targe , target