The term 'fended (off)' can be defined as repelling, warding, staving, averting, or parrying. To 'REPEL' is to push away or resist something, while 'warding' is the act of protecting oneself from something. 'Staving' is the act of preventing something from happening, and 'averting' is the act of turning away from something. Finally, 'parrying' is the act of deflecting something. All of these words describe the action of fending off, which is the act of defending oneself from an attack or danger.