defense en · NOUN · etymology 1
Pronunciation
Etymology
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.
Meanings
- (US, countable, uncountable) The action of defending or protecting from attack, danger, or injury.
- (US, countable, qualifier:team sports, uncountable) Anything employed to oppose attack(s). ▸ A strategy and tactics employed to prevent the other team from scoring; contrasted with offense.
- (US, countable, qualifier:team sports, uncountable) Anything employed to oppose attack(s). ▸ The portion of a team dedicated to preventing the other team from scoring; contrasted with offense.
-
(US, countable, uncountable) An argument in support or justification of something.
to come to someone's defense
- (US, broadly, countable, uncountable) An argument in support or justification of something. ▸ The case presented by the defendant in a legal proceeding.
- (US, broadly, countable, uncountable) An argument in support or justification of something. ▸ The lawyer or team thereof who presents such a case.
-
(US, countable, euphemistic, uncountable) Government policy or (infra)structure related to the military.
Department of Defense
- (US, countable, obsolete, uncountable) A prohibition; a prohibitory ordinance.
Forms
| Spelling | Features | Labels | Source |
|---|---|---|---|
| defence | UK, alternative | lexicographic | |
| defenses | Number=Plur | lexicographic |
Antonyms
prosecution · offense · attack
Deriveds
defense in depth · antidefense · Nuremberg defense · space defense · defensive · cyberdefense · air defense · ecodefense · defense in abatement · special defense · defensin · Pac-Man defense · tower defense · Shaggy defense · attack is the best form of defense · counterdefense · homosexual panic defense · DEFCON · misdefense · defense lawyer · gay panic defense · Chewbacca defense · self-defense wound · Matrix defense · orbital defense platform · defense attorney · defensiveness · civil defense · prevent defense · biodefense · defense-independent pitching statistics · defense mechanism · chemical defense · the best defense is a good offense · zone defense · nondefense · defense wound · eco-defense · defenseless · black rage defense · Apartheid Defense League · self-defense · immunodefense · air-defense · personal defense weapon · thesis defense · man-to-man defense · trans panic defense · anti-slut defense
Hyponyms
Relateds
Synonyms
shield · defence · ward · defense · fortification · safeguard · preservation · guard · protection
Translations (223)
mfe defans (team sports: portion of a team) · ka მოგერიება (action of protecting from attack) · az müdafiə (action of protecting from attack) · bg отбрани́телни съоръже́ния (anything employed to oppose attack) · fy ferdediging (action of protecting from attack) · ja 防御 (action of protecting from attack) · got 𐍃𐌿𐌽𐌾𐍉𐌽𐍃 (argument in support or justification of something) · cs obrana (team sports: portion of a team) · ro apărare (team sports: portion of a team) · pl obrona (action of protecting from attack) · ru защи́та (action of protecting from attack) · sv värn (anything employed to oppose attack) · uz mudofaa (action of protecting from attack) · sh ȍbrana (action of protecting from attack) · vi phòng ngự (team sports: portion of a team) · pt defesa (argument in support or justification of something) · nl verdediging (anything employed to oppose attack) · ro apărare (anything employed to oppose attack) · vi phòng vệ (action of protecting from attack) · ar دِفاع (government policy or structure) · ru оборо́на (government policy or structure) · si ආරක්ෂක (action of protecting from attack) · hu védekezés (action of protecting from attack) · ar دِفَاع (action of protecting from attack) · sh odbrana (team sports: portion of a team) · bg отбра́на (anything employed to oppose attack) · ro apărare (government policy or structure) · bn প্রতিরক্ষা (action of protecting from attack) · ug ھىمايە (action of protecting from attack) · hu védelem (argument in support or justification of something) · hu védekezés (argument in support or justification of something) · cs obrana (team sports: strategy and tactics) · fi puolustus (government policy or structure) · pt defesa (action of protecting from attack) · nan-hbl 防禦 /防御 (action of protecting from attack) · sh ȍdbrana (argument in support or justification of something) · da forsvar (action of protecting from attack) · mk одбрана (action of protecting from attack) · ur مُدافَعَت (action of protecting from attack) · vi phòng vệ (team sports: strategy and tactics) · ro apărare (action of protecting from attack) · fy definsje (action of protecting from attack) · ka თავდაცვა (anything employed to oppose attack) · ru оборо́на (action of protecting from attack) · sq mbrojtje (action of protecting from attack) · sh obrana (team sports: portion of a team) · vi phòng thủ (team sports: portion of a team) · tr koruma (action of protecting from attack) · ang bewering (anything employed to oppose attack) · hu védelem (anything employed to oppose attack) · la dēfēnsiō (action of protecting from attack) · mi waonga (action of protecting from attack) · ja 防禦 (action of protecting from attack) · cs obrana (anything employed to oppose attack) · be ахо́ва (action of protecting from attack) · hu védés (argument in support or justification of something) · fi puolustus (team sports: portion of a team) · km ការពារ (action of protecting from attack) · ur رَکْشا (action of protecting from attack) · ro apărare (argument in support or justification of something) · et kaitse (action of protecting from attack) · de Verteidigung (action of protecting from attack) · ml പ്രതിരോധം (government policy or structure) · ckb بەرگْری (action of protecting from attack) · ang bewering (action of protecting from attack) · el άμυνα (anything employed to oppose attack) · ar مُدَافَعَة (action of protecting from attack) · io defenso (action of protecting from attack) · ur حِمایَت (action of protecting from attack) · nl weer (action of protecting from attack) · sv försvar (action of protecting from attack) · sv värn (action of protecting from attack) · sv försvar (anything employed to oppose attack) · ur مُحافَظَت (action of protecting from attack) · af verdediging (action of protecting from attack) · tg дифоъ (action of protecting from attack) · ru оборони́тельные сооруже́ния (anything employed to oppose attack) · ca defensa (action of protecting from attack) · fi puolustus (anything employed to oppose attack) · fr défense (anything employed to oppose attack) · ckb بەرگری (anything employed to oppose attack) · he הגנה (anything employed to oppose attack) · ro apărare (team sports: strategy and tactics) · sh ȍbrana (argument in support or justification of something) · tl depensa (action of protecting from attack) · hu védelem (team sports: portion of a team) · ru защи́та (anything employed to oppose attack) · vi phòng thủ (action of protecting from attack) · hu védelem (team sports: strategy and tactics) · fi puolustelu (argument in support or justification of something) · is vörn (action of protecting from attack) · bg защи́та (action of protecting from attack) · it difesa (action of protecting from attack) · ca protecció (anything employed to oppose attack) · it difesa (anything employed to oppose attack) · nl verdediging (action of protecting from attack) · ang utwaru (government policy or structure) · pl obrona (argument in support or justification of something) · ky коргоо (action of protecting from attack) · ar دِفاع (team sports: portion of a team) · vi phòng vệ (anything employed to oppose attack) · cs obrana (action of protecting from attack) · pl obrona (anything employed to oppose attack) · hu védelem (action of protecting from attack) · tr sıyanet (action of protecting from attack) · yi פֿאַרטיידיקונג (action of protecting from attack) · fa-ira دِفاع (action of protecting from attack) · tg ҳимоя (action of protecting from attack) · vi phòng thủ (anything employed to oppose attack) · nb forsvar (action of protecting from attack) · nl verweer (anything employed to oppose attack) · be абаро́на (action of protecting from attack) · ug مۇداپىئە (action of protecting from attack) · hy պաշտպանություն (action of protecting from attack) · sk obrana (action of protecting from attack) · vi phòng thủ (team sports: strategy and tactics) · da forsvar (anything employed to oppose attack) · pt escudo (anything employed to oppose attack) · de Verteidigung (anything employed to oppose attack) · id pertahanan (action of protecting from attack) · ru оборо́на (team sports: portion of a team) · mk одбрана (argument in support or justification of something) · cs obrana (government policy or structure) · sh о̏брана (anything employed to oppose attack) · es descargo (argument in support or justification of something) · grc ἀπολογία (argument in support or justification of something) · ar حِمَايَة (action of protecting from attack) · fo verja (action of protecting from attack) · ka თავდაცვა (government policy or structure) · es defensa (anything employed to oppose attack) · vi phòng ngự (anything employed to oppose attack) · fi puolustus (action of protecting from attack) · eo defendo (action of protecting from attack) · mi whakarurunga (anything employed to oppose attack) · de Wehr (action of protecting from attack) · tg мудофиа (action of protecting from attack) · ur دِفاع (action of protecting from attack) · ky коргонуу (action of protecting from attack) · fa-ira مُحافَظَت (action of protecting from attack) · vi phòng vệ (team sports: portion of a team) · lv aizsardzība (action of protecting from attack) · tg муҳофиза (action of protecting from attack) · la mūnīmentum (anything employed to oppose attack) · fi puolustus (argument in support or justification of something) · sh ȍdbrana (action of protecting from attack) · yue 防禦 /防御 (action of protecting from attack) · cs zákaz (prohibitory ordinance) · pt retranca (team sports: strategy and tactics) · uz himoya (action of protecting from attack) · kk қорғану (action of protecting from attack) · ms pertahanan (action of protecting from attack) · fr défense (action of protecting from attack) · qu amachay (action of protecting from attack) · sv försvar (argument in support or justification of something) · cs obrana (argument in support or justification of something) · vi phòng ngự (action of protecting from attack) · nl verweer (argument in support or justification of something) · sl obramba (action of protecting from attack) · fi puolustus (team sports: strategy and tactics) · oc defensa (action of protecting from attack) · nn forsvar (action of protecting from attack) · ang wiþermal (government policy or structure) · cmn 防禦 /防御 (action of protecting from attack) · fa-ira پَدافَنْد (action of protecting from attack) · hy պաշտպանություն (team sports: portion of a team) · mn сэргийлэл (action of protecting from attack) · nrf d'fense (action of protecting from attack) · sh о̏дбрана (action of protecting from attack) · hi रक्षा (action of protecting from attack) · uk за́хист (action of protecting from attack) · he הֲגָנָה \ הֲגַנָּה (action of protecting from attack) · fi maanpuolustus (government policy or structure) · bg отбра́на (action of protecting from attack) · bn রক্ষা (action of protecting from attack) · fi puolustautuminen (action of protecting from attack) · sh о̏дбрана (anything employed to oppose attack) · tr savunma (action of protecting from attack) · fo verja (anything employed to oppose attack) · vi phòng ngự (team sports: strategy and tactics) · es defensa (action of protecting from attack) · hu védekezés (team sports: strategy and tactics) · hy պաշտպանություն (anything employed to oppose attack) · fa-ira حِمایَت (action of protecting from attack) · ur صَفائی (argument in support or justification of something) · la mūnīmen (anything employed to oppose attack) · ru оборо́на (anything employed to oppose attack) · la dēfēnsa (anything employed to oppose attack) · vi phản biện (argument in support or justification of something) · hi बचाव (action of protecting from attack) · it difesa (argument in support or justification of something) · ru защи́та (argument in support or justification of something) · lt gynyba (action of protecting from attack) · th การป้องกัน (action of protecting from attack) · ga cosaint (action of protecting from attack) · ka თავდაცვის სამინისტრო (government policy or structure) · lo ການຫ້າມປາມ (action of protecting from attack) · ps دفاع (action of protecting from attack) · fi kielto (prohibitory ordinance) · ca defensa (anything employed to oppose attack) · pt defesa (anything employed to oppose attack) · hu védés (action of protecting from attack) · mk одбрана (anything employed to oppose attack) · tg муҳофизат (action of protecting from attack) · hy պաշտպանություն (team sports: strategy and tactics) · kk қорғаныс (action of protecting from attack) · sh о̏брана (argument in support or justification of something) · ko 방어 (action of protecting from attack) · sh о̏брана (action of protecting from attack) · sh ȍdbrana (anything employed to oppose attack) · mfe defans (action of protecting from attack) · fy war (action of protecting from attack) · fa-ira مُدافِعِه (action of protecting from attack) · ar مُحَافَظَة (action of protecting from attack) · el άμυνα (action of protecting from attack) · uk оборо́на (action of protecting from attack) · ka თავდაცვა (action of protecting from attack) · ota صیانت (action of protecting from attack) · sh о̏дбрана (argument in support or justification of something) · vi bảo vệ (action of protecting from attack) · cmn 防禦物 /防御物 (anything employed to oppose attack) · my ကာကွယ်ရေး (action of protecting from attack) · cmn 防守 (team sports: portion of a team) · sh ȍbrana (anything employed to oppose attack)