defense

[dih-fens, dee-fens]

noun

1. resistance against attack; protection.

   Two more regiments are needed for the defense of the city.

   Synonyms: safeguard, security

2. something that guards against harm, such as a fortification, physical or mental quality, or medication.

   This fort was once the main defense of the island.

3. the support of a cause or the like by speech, argument, etc..

   He spoke in defense of the nation's foreign policy.

   Synonyms: justification, advocacy, support

4. a speech, argument, etc., in vindication.

   She delivered a defense of free enterprise.

5. Law.

   1. the denial or pleading of the defendant in answer to the claim or charge that has been made.

   2. the proceedings adopted by a defendant or the defendant's legal agents, for defending against the charges that have been made.

   3. a defendant and their counsel.

6. Psychology.,  defense mechanism.

7. Sports.

   1. the practice or art of shielding oneself or one's goal from attack, as in fencing, boxing, soccer, or football.

   2. the team attempting to thwart the attack of the team having the ball or puck.

   3. the players of a team who line up in their own defensive zone.

   4. the positions on the field, ice, etc., taken by such players.

8. Also called Defense Department. (initial capital letter),  the Department of Defense.

verb (used with object)

defensed, defensing 

1. Sports.,  to defend against (an opponent, play, or tactic).

Other Word Forms

• defenseless adjective
• defenselessly adverb
• defenselessness noun
• nondefense noun
• predefense noun
• undefensed adjective

Word History and Origins

Origin of defense¹

First recorded in 1250–1300; Middle English from Old French from Late Latin dēfēnsa “a forbidding,” noun use of feminine of past participle of Latin dēfendere “to defend ”; replacing Middle English defens, from Anglo-French, Old French, from Medieval Latin defēnsum “(thing) forbidden,” neuter past participle of Latin dēfendere

Example Sentences

The guard averaging 40 points per game claimed his defense was the only thing he did well on a night when he finished one rebound short of a triple-double.

Read more on Los Angeles Times

Kirchner's defense team has cast doubt on the credibility of the notebooks at the heart of the prosecution's case, saying the entries were changed over 1,500 times.

Read more on Barron's

But more recently, as drones have taken over as the first line of defense, they have shifted their focus to hitting Russians outside urban areas, where advancing soldiers have far less cover.

Read more on The Wall Street Journal

It didn’t matter that defenses knew he was coming.

Read more on Los Angeles Times

Finley compares these pieces to a windowsill — a look into what these subjects are like when the defenses dissolve, into their relationship with Finley, into whatever conversation led them to this point.

Read more on Los Angeles Times