forfend

<font size="-1" face="arial, helvetica"> <p> <strong> <font color="#000066">Merriam-Webster's Word of the Day for April 18, 2021 is:</font> </strong> </p> <p> <strong>forfend</strong> &#149; \for-FEND\&nbsp; &#149; <em>verb</em><br /> <p><strong>1 a</strong> <em>archaic</em> <strong>:</strong> <a href="https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/forbid">forbid</a></p> <p><strong>b :</strong> to ward off <strong>:</strong> <a href="https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/prevent">prevent</a></p> <p><strong>2 :</strong> <a href="https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/protect">protect</a>, <a href="https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/preserve">preserve</a></p> </p> <p> <strong>Examples:</strong><br /> <p>"All too often, the selfie is looked down upon with condescension, viewed as the narcissist's calling card, treated with scorn and disdain. But why? Heaven <em>forfend</em> we show evidence of loving ourselves." — <a href="https://mashable.com/article/2020-thirst-traps/">Rachel Thompson, <em>Mashable</em>, 24 Dec. 2020</a></p> <p>"Juvenile birds left on a quest for their own feeding grounds, to avoid competition with parents and siblings. Going out on their own also <em>forfends</em> against inbreeding, which would have a deleterious effect on the gene pool of their species." — <a href="https://www.houstonchronicle.com/life/gardening/article/Where-have-all-the-songbirds-gone-13245756.php">Gary Clark, <em>The Houston Chronicle</em>, 21 Sept. 2018</a></p> </p> <p> <strong>Did you know?</strong><br /> <p>When <em>forfend</em> was first used in the 14th century, it meant "to forbid." The term is still used with this meaning in phrases like "heaven forfend" or "God forfend," but it bears an antiquated patina communicated in our dictionary with an "archaic" label. Other uses of the word are current, though somewhat uncommon. <em>Forfend</em> comes from Middle English <em>forfenden</em>, from <em><a href="https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary