protego

prō-tĕgo, xi, ctum, 3, v. a., to cover before or in front, to cover over, cover, protect (class.; syn.: defendo, tutor).

I.

Lit.:

tabernacula protecta hederā,

Caes. B. C. 3, 96:

rates cratibus ac pluteis,

id. ib. 1, 25 fin.:

aedes,

to furnish with a projecting roof, Cic. Top. 4, 24:

hunc scutis protegunt hostes,

to cover, protect, Caes. B. G. 5, 43:

se umbone,

Just. 33, 2, 4:

caput contra solem,

Plin. 31, 11, 47, § 131:

scutis protecti corpora longis,

Verg. A. 8, 662:

protegendi corporis memor,

Liv. 2, 6.—

B.

In partic., to put up a shed, penthouse, or projecting roof (jurid. Lat.):

hic in suo protexit,

Dig. 9, 2, 29:

jus proiciendi protegendive,

ib. 8, 2, 1.—

II.

Trop.

A.

To cover or shield from danger, to defend, protect (rare and class.):

jacentem et spoliatum defendo et protego,

Cic. Sull. 18, 50:

ad protegendum regem,

Liv. 42, 15:

viros optimos,

Plin. Ep. 3, 9, 36; Tac. A. 1, 13 fin.:

aliquem adversus criminantes,

id. H. 2, 60:

causam,

Juv. 11, 32:

Dominus exercituum proteget eos,

Vulg. Zach. 9, 15. —

2.

Transf., to ward off, keep off:

hiemes,

Stat. S. 3, 1, 121.—

B.

To cover up, screen, conceal (very rare):

nequitiam supercilio truci,

Vell. 2, 100, 5:

risu protectis insidiis,

Just. 38, 1, 9:

parricidii immunitatem metu majore,

Quint. Decl. 8, 1.