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defense

n. · v.
US //dɪˈfɛns// de·fense
  1. 1 protection from attack (n.)
    B1 Intermediate American English

    the act of protecting someone or something from being hurt or damaged.

    the action of defending or protecting from physical or metaphorical attack, danger, or injury.

    Example

    The city built a strong defense to protect the citizens from the rising floodwaters.

    Example

    The castle's primary defense consisted of a deep moat and thick stone walls designed to withstand a prolonged siege.

    Usage

    Often used with the preposition 'against'.
  2. 2 military and government (n.)
    B2 Upper Intermediate American English government

    the way a country protects itself using its army, navy, and air force.

    government policy, infrastructure, and personnel related to national security and the military.

    Example

    The government decided to increase spending on national defense this year.

    Example

    The minister of defense argued that modernizing the air fleet was essential for maintaining regional stability.

    Teacher's tip

    In British English, this is spelled 'defence'.
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  1. 3 law (n.)
    B2 Upper Intermediate American English Law

    the lawyer or team of lawyers who represent the person accused of a crime.

    the counsel and strategy used by the party being sued or accused in a legal proceeding.

    Example

    The defense argued that the man was at home during the time of the crime.

    Example

    The defense rested its case after presenting three witnesses who contradicted the prosecution's timeline of events.
    • legal team
  2. 4 sports (n.)
    B1 Intermediate American English Sport

    the players on a team whose job is to stop the other team from scoring.

    the players, or the collective strategy, tasked with preventing the opposing team from scoring points.

    Example

    Our team has a great defense, so the other side couldn't score any goals.

    Example

    The coach emphasized that a solid defense is just as vital to winning the championship as a high-scoring offense.
    • backline
    • defensive unit
  3. 5 justification (n.)
    C1 Advanced American English Formal

    an argument or speech that supports an idea or person that is being criticized.

    a spoken or written argument intended to justify or support a specific position or action.

    Example

    She wrote a long letter in defense of her friend's controversial decision.

    Example

    The professor published a brilliant defense of classical literature, arguing for its continued relevance in the digital age.
  4. 6 to play defensively (v.)
    C1 Advanced American English Technical Sport

    to use a specific plan to stop an opponent from scoring in a game.

    to employ defensive tactics or play in a defensive position during a sporting contest.

    Example

    The team struggled to defense the opponent's fast players in the second half.

    Example

    The strategy was to defense the perimeter aggressively, forcing the shooters into difficult, contested attempts from long range.

    Usage

    This verb use is primarily found in American sports jargon; 'defend' is the standard verb in most other contexts.
Etymology 1

From Middle English defens, defense, from Old French defens, defense, from Late Latin dēfēnsa (“protection”). Displaced native Old English bewering. The verb is from the noun.

Etymology 2

From Middle English defencen, defensen, from Old French defenser or its etymon, Latin dēfēnsō.

Word family
Idioms1 entry

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