protecting

US: (prə tek′ting)

WordReference Random House Unabridged Dictionary of American English © 2025

pro•tect•ing  (prə tek′ting), adj. 

1. providing protection or shelter.

• protect + -ing² 1620–30

pro•tect′ing•ly, adv. 
pro•tect′ing•ness, n. 

WordReference Random House Learner's Dictionary of American English © 2025

pro•tect /prəˈtɛkt/   v. 

1. to defend or guard from attack, invasion, loss, insult, etc.;
   cover;
   shield: [~ + object]
   The turtle's shell protects it from harm.
   [no object]
   The police are there to protect.
2. Business [~ + object] to guard (an industry) from foreign competition, as by charging import duties on the products of the competition.

WordReference Random House Unabridged Dictionary of American English © 2025

pro•tect  (prə tekt′), v.t. 

1. to defend or guard from attack, invasion, loss, annoyance, insult, etc.;
   cover or shield from injury or danger.
2. Business [Econ.] to guard (the industry or an industry of a nation) from foreign competition by imposing import duties.
3. to provide funds for the payment of (a draft, note, etc.).

v.i. 

4. to provide, or be capable of providing, protection:
   a floor wax that protects as well as shines.

• Latin prōtēctus, past participle of prōtegere to cover in front, equivalent. to prō- pro-¹ + teg-, stem of tegere to cover (akin to toga, thatch) + -tus past participle suffix
• 1520–30

pro•tect′i•ble, pro•tect′a•ble, adj. 
pro•tect′i•bil′i•ty, pro•tect′a•bil′i•ty, n. 
Synonyms

• 1. screen, shelter. See defend. 

Antonyms

• 1. attack.

Collins Concise English Dictionary © HarperCollins Publishers::

protect / prəˈtɛkt/ verb (transitive)

1. to defend from trouble, harm, attack, etc
2. to assist (domestic industries) by the imposition of protective tariffs on imports
3. to provide funds in advance to guarantee payment of (a note, draft, etc)

Etymology: 16th Century: from Latin prōtegere to cover before, from pro-¹ + tegere to cover