1. [n]  armor carried on the arm to intercept blows
2. [n]  a protective covering or structure
3. [v]  protect, hide, or conceal from danger or harm
4. [v]  hold a thought or feeling of

1. \Shield\, n. [OE. sheld, scheld, AS. scield, scild,
   sceld, scyld; akin to OS. scild, OFries. skeld, D. & G.
   schild, OHG. scilt, Icel. skj["o]ldr, Sw. sk["o]ld, Dan.
   skiold, Goth. skildus; of uncertain origin. Cf. {Sheldrake}.]
   1. 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.
   2. Anything which protects or defends; defense; shelter;
      protection. ``My council is my shield.'' --Shak.
   3. Figuratively, one who protects or defends.
            Fear not, Abram; I am thy shield, and thy exceeding
            great reward.                         --Gen. xv. 1.
   4. (Bot.) In lichens, a Hardened cup or disk surrounded by a
      rim and containing the fructification, or asci.
   5. (Her.) The escutcheon or field on which are placed the
      bearings in coats of arms. Cf. {Lozenge}. See Illust. of
      {Escutcheon}.
   6. (Mining & Tunneling) A framework used to protect workmen
      in making an adit under ground, and capable of being
      pushed along as excavation progresses.
   7. A spot resembling, or having the form of, a shield.
      ``Bespotted as with shields of red and black.'' --Spenser.
   8. A coin, the old French crown, or ['e]cu, having on one
      side the figure of a shield. [Obs.] --Chaucer.
   {Shield fern} (Bot.), any fern of the genus {Aspidium}, in
      which the fructifications are covered with shield-shaped
      indusia; -- called also {wood fern}. See Illust. of
      {Indusium}.
   

2. \Shield\, v. t. [imp. & p. p. {Shielded}; p. pr. & vb. n.
   {Shielding}.] [AS. scidan, scyldan. See {Shield}, n.]
   1. To cover with, or as with, a shield; to cover from danger;
      to defend; to protect from assault or injury.
            Shouts of applause ran ringing through the field, To
            see the son the vanquished father shield. --Dryden.
            A woman's shape doth shield thee.     --Shak.
   2. To ward off; to keep off or out.
            They brought with them their usual weeds, fit to
            shield the cold to which they had been inured.
                                                  --Spenser.
   3. To avert, as a misfortune; hence, as a supplicatory
      exclamation, forbid! [Obs.]
            God shield that it should so befall.  --Chaucer.
            God shield I should disturb devotion! --Shak.
   

used in defensive warfare, varying at different times and under different circumstances in size, form, and material (1 Sam. 17:7; 2 Sam. 1:21; 1 Kings 10:17; 1 Chr. 12:8, 24, 34; Isa. 22:6; Ezek. 39:9; Nahum 2:3).

Used figuratively of God and of earthly princes as the defenders of their people (Gen. 15:1; Deut. 33:29; Ps. 33:20; 84:11). Faith is compared to a shield (Eph. 6:16).

Shields were usually "anointed" (Isa. 21:5), in order to preserve them, and at the same time make the missiles of the enemy glide off them more easily.