A Fender Fends Things Off
A fender protects from impact. The word is a shortening of defender, and it names different things in Britain and America.
A fender is something that absorbs or deflects impact. The word is simply *defender* with the front worn away, and English does this often — *fence* comes from *defence* the same way. On a boat a fender hangs over the side; in America it is the panel over a car wheel, which Britain calls a wing.
- A protective buffer. *Boat fenders.*
- A car wheel panel (American). *A dented fender.*
- A fireplace guard. *A brass fender.*
- Fender bender — a minor collision. *Just a fender bender.*
Word forms
| Form | Word | Example |
|---|---|---|
| Noun | fender | A rubber fender. |
| Plural | fenders | Two fenders. |
| Verb | fend | Fend off questions. |
| Related | defend | Defend the goal. |
| Related | fence | A garden fence. |
How it is used in a sentence
- Put the fenders out before docking.Boating.
- It was just a fender bender.American: a minor crash.
- Fend for yourself.Manage without help.
Words shortened at the front
- fender — from defender
- fence — from defence
- spite — from despite
- story — from history
- sample — from example
A shortening of *defender*, from Old French *defendre*, from Latin *defendere*, to ward off.
Fender or wing?
For the panel over a car wheel, fender is American and wing is British.
Are fence and defence related?
Yes. Fence is defence with the first syllable lost, which is why a fence defends a boundary.