Anything that protects or defends; defense; shelter; protection. • A broad piece of defensive armor, held in hand, formerly in general use in war, for the protection of the body. • One who protects or defends. • A featherless, flat, fleshy protuberance on the head; a frontal shield. • A flattish patch of iridescent feathers. • A heavily hardened, protective plate on an insect's exoskeleton that covers part of its body. • In lichens, a hardened cup or disk surrounded by a rim and containing the fructification, or asci. • A framework used to protect workmen in making an adit under ground, and capable of being pushed along as excavation progresses. • A field of energy that protects or defends. • A shape like that of a shield; usually, an inverted triangle with sides that curve inward to form a pointed bottom, commonly used for police identifications and company logos. • The escutcheon on which are placed the bearings in coats of arms. • A toilet seat. • A spot resembling, or having the form of a shield. • A coin, the old French crown, or écu, having on one side the figure of a shield. • A sign or symbol, usually containing numbers and sometimes letters, identifying a highway route. • A police badge. • A large expanse of exposed stable Precambrian rock. • A wide and relatively low-profiled volcano, usually composed entirely of lava flows. • A place with a toilet seat: an outhouse; a lavatory. • Parts at the front and back of a vehicle which are meant to absorb the impact of a collision • A circuit board that can connect to an Arduino microcontroller and extend its capabilities.