noun
- Psychiatry) an unconscious process that tries to reduce the anxiety associated with instinctive desires.
- Sports) the team that is trying to prevent the other team from scoring. (
- usage: "his teams are always good on defense"
- synonyms: defense, defending team
- The defendant and his legal advisors collectively.
- usage: "the defense called for a mistrial"
- synonyms: defense, defense team, defense lawyers
- An organization of defenders that provides resistance against attack.
- usage: "he joined the defense against invasion"
- synonyms: defense, defense force, defence force
- The speech act of answering an attack on your assertions.
- usage: "his refutation of the charges was short and persuasive"; "in defense he said the other man started it"
- synonyms: refutation, defense
- The justification for some act or belief.
- usage: "he offered a persuasive defense of the theory"
- synonyms: defense, vindication
- A structure used to defend against attack.
- usage: "the artillery battered down the defenses"
- synonyms: defensive structure, defense
- A defendant's answer or plea denying the truth of the charges against him.
- usage: "he gave evidence for the defense"
- Military) military action or resources protecting a country against potential enemies. (
- usage: "they died in the defense of Stalingrad"; "they were developed for the defense program"
- synonyms: defense, defensive measure
- Protection from harm.
- usage: "sanitation is the best defense against disease"
- synonyms: defense
- The act of defending someone or something against attack or injury.
- usage: "a good boxer needs a good defense"; "defense against hurricanes is an urgent problem"
- synonyms: defense
WordNet 3.0 © 2006 by Princeton University
| APA | WordNet. (2010). defence. Retrieved September 21, 2026, from http://smartdefine.org/defence/definitions/1269555 |
| Chicago | WordNet. 2010. "defence" http://smartdefine.org/defence/definitions/1269555 (accessed September 21, 2026). |
| Harvard | WordNet 2010, defence, Smart Define, viewed 21 September, 2026, <http://smartdefine.org/defence/definitions/1269555>. |
| MLA | WordNet. "defence" 23 October 2010. Web. 21 September 2026. <http://smartdefine.org/defence/definitions/1269555> |