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defence

[ US /dɪˈfɛns/ ]
NOUN
  1. a defendant's answer or plea denying the truth of the charges against him
    he gave evidence for the defense
  2. the defendant and his legal advisors collectively
    the defense called for a mistrial
  3. 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
  4. (sports) the team that is trying to prevent the other team from scoring
    his teams are always good on defense
  5. (psychiatry) an unconscious process that tries to reduce the anxiety associated with instinctive desires
  6. the justification for some act or belief
    he offered a persuasive defense of the theory
  7. a structure used to defend against attack
    the artillery battered down the defenses
  8. an organization of defenders that provides resistance against attack
    he joined the defense against invasion
  9. the speech act of answering an attack on your assertions
    in defense he said the other man started it
    his refutation of the charges was short and persuasive
  10. protection from harm
    sanitation is the best defense against disease
  11. (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
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How To Use defence In A Sentence

  • The right back found himself in unfamiliar territory in the opposing penalty area after a swift exchange of passes that opened up Reading's defence. Times, Sunday Times
  • One could argue that such a missile defence system would bring about the abandonment of ballistic missiles as strategic weapons.
  • The only defence remaining alive at present is, therefore, I suggest, the disputed decision about qualifying privilege.
  • ‘Ah Dublin, you're giving it away,’ he wailed in the 55th minute, as the Dublin defence fluffed its lines yet again, giving Laois another unearned scoring opportunity.
  • Minister for Defence Robert Hill talks with an Australian Army captain and warrant officer at a Middle East base.
  • Defence lawyers routinely accuse victims who failed to make 'vigorous enough' protests, as in fact having consented.
  • The police had a good defence to the claims in false imprisonment and unlawful detention. Times, Sunday Times
  • The farmer, the papers had said, was a part-time policeman, a member of the Protestant Ulster Defence Regiment, the UDR. DEATH OF AN UNKNOWN MAN
  • Our reaction to a tickling sensation may have arisen from a defence against creepy-crawlies. Times, Sunday Times
  • It seems that CSIS witnesses may have engaged in "prevarication," and that material germane to Harkat's legal defence has been withheld by CSIS for no good reason. Archive 2009-05-01
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