defence

noun

1. 1

   the act of defending someone or something against attack or injury

   a good boxer needs a good defense

   defense against hurricanes is an urgent problem

2. 2

   protection from harm

   sanitation is the best defense against disease

3. 3

   (military) military action or resources protecting a country against potential enemies

   they died in the defense of Stalingrad

   they were developed for the defense program

4. 4

   a defendant's answer or plea denying the truth of the charges against him

   he gave evidence for the defense

5. 5

   a structure used to defend against attack

   the artillery battered down the defenses

6. 6

   the justification for some act or belief

   he offered a persuasive defense of the theory

7. 7

   the speech act of answering an attack on your assertions

   his refutation of the charges was short and persuasive

   in defense he said the other man started it

8. 8

   an organization of defenders that provides resistance against attack

   he joined the defense against invasion

9. 9

   the defendant and his legal advisors collectively

   the defense called for a mistrial

10. 10

    (sports) the team that is trying to prevent the other team from scoring

    his teams are always good on defense

11. 11

    (psychiatry) an unconscious process that tries to reduce the anxiety associated with instinctive desires