1.  ward off(v = verb.social) avert, avoid, debar, deflect, fend off, forefend, forfend, head off, obviate, stave off - prevent the occurrence of; prevent from happening; "Let's avoid a confrontation"; "head off a confrontation"; "avert a strike"
is one way to forbid, foreclose, forestall, preclude, prevent
Sample sentences: Somebody ----s something; Something ----s something

2.  ward off(v = verb.competition) - avert, turn away, or repel; "Ward off danger"
is one way to defend
Sample sentences: Somebody ----s something; Somebody ----s somebody

VB  hinder, impede, filibuster, impedite, embarrass, keep off, stave off, ward off, obviate, avert, antevert, turn aside, draw off, prevent, forefend, nip in the bud, retard, slacken, check, let, counteract, countercheck, preclude, debar, foreclose, estop, inhibit, shackle, restrict, obstruct, stop, stay, bar, bolt, lock, block, block up, choke off, belay, barricade, block the way, bar the way, stop the way, forelay, dam up, put on the brake, scotch the wheel, lock the wheel, put a spoke in the wheel, put a stop to, traverse, contravene, interrupt, intercept, oppose, hedge in, hedge round, cut off, inerclude, interpose, interfere, intermeddle, cramp, hamper, clog, clog the wheels, cumber, encumber, incumber, handicap, choke, saddle with, load with, overload, lay, lumber, trammel, tie one's hands, put to inconvenience, incommode, discommode, discompose, hustle, corner, drive into a corner, run foul of, fall foul of, cross the path of, break in upon, thwart, frustrate, disconcert, balk, foil, faze, feaze, feeze, baffle, snub, override, circumvent, defeat, spike guns, spoil, mar, clip the wings of, cripple, put an extinguisher on, damp, dishearten, discountenance, throw cold water on, spoil sport, lay a wet blanket, throw a wet blanket on, cut the ground from under one, take the wind out of one's sails, undermine, be in the way of, stand in the way of, act as a drag, hang like a millstone round one's neck.

VB  defend, forfend, fend, shield, screen, shroud, engarrison, fend round, fence, entrench, intrench, guard, guard against, take care of, bear harmless, fend off, keep off, ward off, beat off, beat back, hinder, parry, repel, propugn, put to flight, give a warm reception to, hold at bay, keep at bay, keep arm's length, stand on the defensive, act on the defensive, show fight, maintain one's ground, stand one's ground, stand by, hold one's own, bear the brunt, stand the brunt, fall back upon, hold, stand in the gap.

aaron montgomery ward, artemus ward, auction off, back off, badly off, barbara ward, be off, bear off, beat off, beetle off, beg off, better off, bind off, bite off, blast off, block off, blow off, bound off, break off, breaking off, bring off, broken off, browned off, brush off, bugger off, bully off, bump off, bundle off, bunk off, burn off, buy off, buzz off, call off, cap off, carry off, cart off, cast off, charge off, check off, cheesed off, chip off, chip off the old block, choke off, chop off, clear off, click off, clock off, close off, closing off, come off, cool off, cordon off, count off, cream off, cross off, curtain off, cut off, cutting off, damping off, damping off fungus, dash off, day off, die off, dope off, doze off, draw off, drawing off, drift off, drive off, drop off, drowse off, ease off, ebb off, even off, face off, fall off, falling off, fend off, fight off, finish off, firing off, first off, flake off, fling off, flow off, fly off the handle, fob off, foist off, freeze off, frighten off, fuck off, get off, get off the ground, give off, go off, go off at half-cock, go off half cocked, go off half-cocked, goof off, goofing off, hang off, haul off, have it off, head off, henry ward beecher, hit it off, hive off, hold off, hospital ward, jack off, jacking off, jerk off, jerking off, julia ward howe, jump off, jumping off place, keep off, keep one's eyes off, keep one's hands off, kick off, kill off, knock it off, knock off, laugh off, lay off, lead off, leading off, leave off, let off, level off, lift off, lip off, log off, loose off, lop off, make off, mark off, mary augusta arnold ward, maternity ward, melt off, montgomery ward, mouth off, mrs. humphrey ward, nip off, nod off, off, off and on, off balance, off base, off chance, off color, off duty, off guard, off her guard, off his guard, off key, off limits, off one's guard, off the beaten track, off the cuff, off the hook, off the record, off the wall, off year, off your guard, on and off, pack off, pair off, palm off, pan off, partition off, partitioned off, partner off, pass off, pay off, peel off, pension off, pick off, piss off, pissed off, play off, polish off, pop off, pound off, pull off, put off, raffle off, rail off, rake off, rattle off, reel off, ride off, rinse off, rip off, roar off, roll off, rope off, round off, rub off, run off, rush off, scare off, scratch off, screen off, seal off, sealed off, sell off, send off, separate off, set off, shade off, shake off, sheer off, shoo off, shoot one's mouth off, shove off, show off, showing off, shrug off, shut off, sign off, siphon off, skim off, slack off, slacken off, sleep off, slip off, slough off, snap off, sneak off, snip off, sound off, spark off, spiel off, spin off, spirit off, sponge off, square off, stand off, stave off, stay off, straight off, strike off, swear off, sweat off, sweep off, switch off, sworn off, take off, take the edge off, take time off, taper off, tapering off, tear off, tee off, tell off, throw off, tick off, ticked off, time off, tip off, top off, topping off, toss off, touch off, trigger off, turn off, turned off, walk off, walk off with, ward, ward heeler, wash off, wave off, wear off, whack off, whisk off, wind off, wipe off, work off, write off