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A coating or defensive armor of metal (usually steel) plates.

Affording protection; sheltering; defensive. " The favor of a protective Providence." Feltham. Protective coloring (Zoöl.), coloring which serves for the concealment and preservation of a living organism. Cf. Mimicry. Wallace. -- Protective tariff (Polit. Econ.), a tariff designed to secure protection (see Protection,…

vessels and the lightly armored batteries or other war vessels and for the protection of defensive mine fields; -- not distinguished from quick-fire. (3)

A defensive cell containing a minute rodlike structure which may be expelled. Such cells are found in certain Turbellaria.

A broad piece of defensive armor, carried on the arm, -- formerly in general use in war, for the protection of the body. See Buckler. Now put your shields before your hearts and fight, With hearts more proof than shields. Shak.

One of the special defensive zooids of certain hydroids. They have the form of long, slender tentacles, and bear lasso cells.

n the earth in contact with each other (and usually with loopholes) to form a barrier, or defensive fortification. [Written also stoccade.]

A kind of small shield or buckler, used as a defensive weapon in war.

sp. (Arch.), an ornament representing a group of arms and military weapons, offensive and defensive.

A guarding or defensive motion or position, as in fencing; guard. "Thou knowest my old ward; here I lay, and thus I bore my point." Shak.

An instrument of offensive of defensive combat; something to fight with; anything used, or designed to be used, in destroying, defeating, or injuring an enemy, as a gun, a sword, etc. The weapons of our warfare are not carnal. 2 Cor. x. 4. They, astonished, all resistance lost, All courage; down their idle weapons drop…