defence
1. [ noun ] (military) military action or resources protecting a country against potential enemies
Synonyms: defense defensive_measure
Examples:

"they died in the defense of Stalingrad" "they were developed for the defense program"

Related terms: military_action air_defense mining stand umbrella chemical_defense deliberate_defense biological_warfare_defense biodefence hasty_defense military
2. [ noun ] (law) a defendant's answer or plea denying the truth of the charges against him
Synonyms: denial demurrer defense
Examples:

"he gave evidence for the defense"

Related terms: prosecution due_process entrapment trial law
3. [ noun ] a structure used for defense
Synonyms: defense defensive_structure
Examples:

"the artillery battered down the defenses"

Related terms: structure fortress fortification cheval-de-frise outwork stronghold line_of_defense
4. [ noun ] the justification for some act or belief
Synonyms: defense vindication
Examples:

"he offered a persuasive defense of the theory"

Related terms: justification excuse alibi apology vindicate
5. [ noun ] the speech act of answering an attack on your assertions
Synonyms: defense refutation
Examples:

"his refutation of the charges was short and persuasive" "in defense he said the other man started it"

Related terms: answer confutation rebuttal refute
6. [ noun ] (military) an organization of defenders that provides resistance against attack
Synonyms: defence_force defense_force defense
Examples:

"he joined the defense against invasion"

Related terms: organization bastion defend
7. [ noun ] (law) the defendant and his legal advisors collectively
Synonyms: defense defense_lawyers defense_team
Examples:

"the defense called for a mistrial"

Related terms: prosecution collection defend
8. [ noun ] (sport) the team that is trying to prevent the other team from scoring
Synonyms: defense defending_team
Examples:

"his teams are always good on defense"

Related terms: offense team sport
9. [ noun ] (psychiatry) an unconscious process that tries to reduce the anxiety associated with instinctive desires
Synonyms: defense defence_mechanism defense_reaction defence_reaction defense_mechanism
Related terms: process psychoanalytic_process denial projection conversion compensation displacement rationalization regression repression reaction_formation intellectualisation idealization isolation psychiatry
10. [ noun ] protection from harm
Synonyms: defense
Examples:

"sanitation is the best defense against disease"

Related terms: protection
Similar spelling:   defense
  deepness
  deviance
  defiance
  defensive
  defunct
  defensible
  deafness