Pronunciation: [dɪfˈɛndɪŋ] (IPA) 
The word "defending" is spelled with two syllables: /dɪˈfɛndɪŋ/. The first syllable, "di," is pronounced like the word "did." The second syllable, "fending," is pronounced with a short "e" sound followed by the "fend" sound, which rhymes with "end." The "-ing" suffix is pronounced with a short "i" sound followed by the "ng" sound, like in the word "sing." The spelling of "defending" accurately reflects its pronunciation in English.
Defending, as a verb, refers to the act of protecting, safeguarding, or supporting someone or something from harm, danger, or attack. It implies taking action to ensure the security, well-being, or reputation of the subject being defended. It involves actively countering or repelling any threat or unfavorable circumstances aimed at the individual, group, or entity.
In a physical sense, defending often involves using physical strength, skills, or weapons to repel an attack or protect someone or something. It can encompass strategies of self-defense or the act of shielding another person or property.
In a more abstract sense, defending also applies to the act of arguing or advocating for someone or something. This can involve presenting evidence, justifications, or counterarguments to support a particular perspective or to protect the rights, interests, or reputation of an individual or organization. It may involve offering a verbal or written defense in a discussion, debate, or legal context.
Defending can also include the act of preserving or maintaining one's position, beliefs, or values against criticism, opposition, or attacks. This can involve engaging in a rational discourse, demonstrating one's perspective, or asserting one's rights in order to ensure that the subject is safeguarded or protected from harm. Overall, defending entails taking proactive measures to ensure the security, integrity, or reputation of someone or something.
* The statistics data for these misspellings percentages are collected from over 15,411,110 spell check sessions on www.spellchecker.net from Jan 2010 - Jun 2012.
The word defending is derived from the Old French word defendre, which can be traced back to the Latin word defendere. In Latin, defendere is a combination of de (meaning from or away) and fendere (meaning to strike or to defend). Therefore, defendere literally means to ward off or to protect. Over time, through various linguistic shifts and developments, defendere evolved into the Old French defendre and eventually became the English word defend and its present participle form defending.
