defended
v. B1 Intermediate US //dɪˈfɛndəd// UK //dɪfˈɛndɪd// de·fend·ed
v. to protect someone or something from an attack. You can also use it to describe supporting an idea or a person when others are criticizing them.
v. to protect from harm or danger by resisting an attack; to support or justify an argument or person against criticism. Transitive — requires a direct object.
The soldiers defended the city from the enemy.
The lawyer defended her client by showing evidence that he was not at the scene of the crime.
The philosopher spent his entire career writing books that defended the principle of individual liberty against those who argued for total state control.
From defend + -ed.
Usage
The verb is transitive and takes a direct object. In legal contexts, it often implies a formal response to a charge or claim.