Adjacent Words

defence definitions

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WordNet (r) 3.0 (2005)

n
1: (psychiatry) an unconscious process that tries to reduce the anxiety associated with instinctive desires [syn: defense mechanism, defense reaction, defence mechanism, defence reaction, defense, defence]
2: (sports) the team that is trying to prevent the other team from scoring; "his teams are always good on defense" [syn: defense, defence, defending team] [ant: offence, offense]
3: the defendant and his legal advisors collectively; "the defense called for a mistrial" [syn: defense, defence, defense team, defense lawyers] [ant: prosecution]
4: an organization of defenders that provides resistance against attack; "he joined the defense against invasion" [syn: defense, defence, defense force, defence force]
5: the speech act of answering an attack on your assertions; "his refutation of the charges was short and persuasive"; "in defense he said the other man started it" [syn: refutation, defense, defence]
6: the justification for some act or belief; "he offered a persuasive defense of the theory" [syn: defense, defence, vindication]
7: a structure used to defend against attack; "the artillery battered down the defenses" [syn: defensive structure, defense, defence]
8: a defendant's answer or plea denying the truth of the charges against him; "he gave evidence for the defense" [syn: defense, defence, denial, demurrer] [ant: criminal prosecution, prosecution]
9: (military) military action or resources protecting a country against potential enemies; "they died in the defense of Stalingrad"; "they were developed for the defense program" [syn: defense, defence, defensive measure]
10: protection from harm; "sanitation is the best defense against disease" [syn: defense, defence]
11: the act of defending someone or something against attack or injury; "a good boxer needs a good defense"; "defense against hurricanes is an urgent problem" [syn: defense, defence]

Merriam Webster's

chiefly British variant of defense

Oxford Reference Dictionary

n. (US defense) 1 the act of defending from or resisting attack. 2 a a means of resisting attack. b a thing that protects. c the military resources of a country. 3 (in pl.) fortifications. 4 a justification, vindication. b a speech or piece of writing used to this end. 5 a the defendant's case in a lawsuit. b the counsel for the defendant. 6 a the action or role of defending one's goal etc. against attack. b the players in a team who perform this role. Phrases and idioms: defence mechanism 1 the body's reaction against disease organisms. 2 a usu. unconscious mental process to avoid conscious conflict or anxiety. Derivatives: defenceless adj. defencelessly adv. defencelessness n. Etymology: ME f. OF defens(e) f. LL defensum, -a, past part. of defendere: see DEFEND

Webster's 1913 Dictionary

Defence De*fence", n. & v. t. See Defense.

Webster's 1913 Dictionary

Defense De*fense", Defence De*fence", n. [F. d['e]fense, OF. defense, fem., defens, masc., fr. L. defensa (cf. LL. defensum), from defendere. See Defend, and cf. Fence.] 1. The act of defending, or the state of being defended; protection, as from violence or danger. In cases of defense 't is best to weigh The enemy more mighty than he seems. --Shak. 2. That which defends or protects; anything employed to oppose attack, ward off violence or danger, or maintain security; a guard; a protection. War would arise in defense of the right. --Tennyson. God, the widow's champion and defense. --Shak. 3. Protecting plea; vindication; justification. Men, brethren, and fathers, hear ye my defense. --Acts xxii. 1. 4. (Law) The defendant's answer or plea; an opposing or denial of the truth or validity of the plaintiff's or prosecutor's case; the method of proceeding adopted by the defendant to protect himself against the plaintiff's action. 5. Act or skill in making defense; defensive plan or policy; practice in self defense, as in fencing, boxing, etc. A man of great defense. --Spenser. By how much defense is better than no skill. --Shak. 6. Prohibition; a prohibitory ordinance. [Obs.] Severe defenses . . . against wearing any linen under a certain breadth. --Sir W. Temple.

Webster's 1913 Dictionary

Defense De*fense", v. t. To furnish with defenses; to fortify. [Obs.] [Written also defence.] Better manned and more strongly defensed. --Hales.

Collin's Cobuild Dictionary

(defences) Frequency: The word is one of the 1500 most common words in English. Note: The spelling 'defense' is used in American English, and in meaning 8 is pronounced 1. Defence is action that is taken to protect someone or something against attack. The land was flat, giving no scope for defence... By wielding a knife in defence you run the risk of having it used against you. N-UNCOUNT 2. Defence is the organization of a country's armies and weapons, and their use to protect the country or its interests. Twenty eight percent of the federal budget is spent on defense. ...the French defence minister. N-UNCOUNT: oft N n 3. The defences of a country or region are all its armed forces and weapons. ...the need to maintain Britain's defences at a sufficiently high level. N-PLURAL 4. A defence is something that people or animals can use or do to protect themselves. The immune system is our main defence against disease... = protection N-COUNT: oft N against n 5. A defence is something that you say or write which supports ideas or actions that have been criticized or questioned. Chomsky's defence of his approach goes further... = justification N-COUNT: oft N of n, also in N 6. In a court of law, an accused person's defence is the process of presenting evidence in their favour. He has insisted on conducting his own defence. N-COUNT: oft with poss 7. The defence is the case that is presented by a lawyer in a trial for the person who has been accused of a crime. You can also refer to this person's lawyers as the defence. The defence was that the records of the interviews were fabricated by the police... N-SING: usu the N 8. In games such as football or hockey, the defence is the group of players in a team who try to stop the opposing players scoring a goal or a point. Their defence, so strong last season, has now conceded 12 goals in six games... I still prefer to play in defence. ? attack N-SING-COLL: oft poss N, also in N 9. If you come to someone's defence, you help them by doing or saying something to protect them. He realized none of his schoolmates would come to his defense... PHRASE: PHR after v

International Standard Bible Encyclopedia

de-fens'. See COURTS, JUDICIAL.

Soule's Dictionary of English Synonyms

n. [Written also Defense.] 1. Defending, protecting, protection, guarding, maintaining, maintenance, holding. 2. Protection, guard, buckler, shield, bulwark, fortification, tower of strength. 3. Vindication, justification, apology, plea, excuse.