Word forms: plural defenceslanguage note: The spelling defense is used in American English, and in meaning [sense 8] is pronounced (diːfens).
1. uncountable noun
Defence is action that is taken to protect someone or something against attack.
The land was flat, giving no scope for defence.
By wielding a knife in defence you run the risk of having it used against you.
Synonyms: protection, cover, security, guard More Synonyms of defence
2. uncountable noun [oft NOUN noun]
Defence is the organization of a country's armies and weapons, and their use to protect the country or its interests.
Twenty eight percent of the federal budget is spent on defense.
...the French defence minister.
...a five per cent cut in defence spending.
Synonyms: armaments, weapons, deterrents, the military More Synonyms of defence
3. plural noun
The defences of a country or region are all its armed forces and weapons.
...the need to maintain Britain's defences at a sufficiently high level.
4. countable noun
A defence is something that people or animals can use or do to protect themselves.
The immune system is our main defence against disease. [+ against]
The boy could have adopted hardened cynicism as a defense.
5. countable noun [oft inNOUN]
A defence is something that you say or write which supports ideas or actions that have been criticized or questioned.
Chomsky's defence of his approach goes further. [+ of]
The Party Congress has closed with a spirited defence of the government's economicprogramme from the Deputy Prime Minister.
I must say in his defence that he is concerned about people.
Synonyms: argument, explanation, excuse, plea More Synonyms of defence
6. countable noun [oft with poss]
In a court of law, an accused person's defence is the process of presenting evidence in their favour.
He has insisted on conducting his own defence.
7. singular noun
Thedefence is the case that is presented by a lawyer in a trial for the person who has been accused of a crime. You can also refer to this person's lawyers as thedefence.
The defence was that the records of the interviews were fabricated by the police.
The defence pleaded insanity, but the defendant was found guilty and sentenced.
...defence lawyers.
Synonyms: plea [law], case, claim, pleading More Synonyms of defence
8. singular noun [with singular or plural verb, oft poss NOUN, oft inNOUN]
In games such as football or hockey, the defence is the group of players in a team who try to stop the opposing players scoring a goal or a point.
Their defence, so strong last season, has now conceded 12 goals in six games.
I still prefer to play in defence.
9.
See to sb's defence
More Synonyms of defence
defence in British English
or US defense (dɪˈfɛns)
noun
1.
resistance against danger, attack, or harm; protection
2.
a person or thing that provides such resistance
3.
a plea, essay, speech, etc, in support of something; vindication; justification
4.
a.
a country's military measures or resources
b.
(as modifier)
defence spending
5. law
a defendant's denial of the truth of the allegations or charge against him or her
6. law
the defendant and his or her legal advisers collectively
Compare prosecution
7. the defence
8. American football(usually preceded by the)
a.
the team that does not have possession of the ball
b.
the members of a team that play in such circumstances
9. psychoanalysis defence mechanism
10. (plural)
fortifications
Derived forms
defenceless (deˈfenceless) or US defenseless (deˈfenseless)
adjective
defencelessly (deˈfencelessly) or US defenselessly (deˈfenselessly)
adverb
defencelessness (deˈfencelessness) or US defenselessness (deˈfenselessness)
noun
Word origin
C13: from Old French, from Late Latin dēfensum, past participle of dēfendere to defend
defence in American English
(diˈfɛns; dɪˈfɛns)
noun
British
defense
COBUILD Collocations
defence
robust defence
Examples of 'defence' in a sentence
defence
And the guild has yet to make its case for the defence.
Times, Sunday Times (2016)
It is important to protect the defence.
The Sun (2016)
Their game is based around having an impenetrable defence and playing percentage rugby.
Times, Sunday Times (2016)
What happened to the defence budgets?
The Sun (2016)
He is a big threat, always trying to run behind defences.
Times, Sunday Times (2016)
But this lack of clarity is a weak defence of the government 's position.
Times, Sunday Times (2016)
This season, that defence has a far nastier bite.
Times, Sunday Times (2016)
So strike a line through'man of the match' as justification for the defence.
Times, Sunday Times (2016)
The best way to ensure that America maintains its defence umbrella via Nato is to engage with him.
Times, Sunday Times (2017)
Yet the defence of justification was alleged cheating at cards.
Times, Sunday Times (2006)
Defence lawyers will normally prepare the case for the person who is accused.
Coyle, Andrew & Stern, Vivien The Prisons We Deserve (1994)
Lack of strength in depth in central defence.
Times, Sunday Times (2010)
They arrive as fears rise of a fresh round of defence cuts in the autumn.
The Sun (2015)
So you cannot blame the defence for that goal.
The Sun (2013)
It was a superb team effort in turning defence into attack into a goal.
Times, Sunday Times (2011)
The defence can also cover things such as dangerous driving.
Times, Sunday Times (2006)
His enduring friendships with them is the best defence against the charge of manipulation.
Times, Sunday Times (2007)
Neither the play nor the defence was sparkling.
Times, Sunday Times (2009)
Sometimes you can kick to attack and sometimes you can run out of defence.
Times, Sunday Times (2011)
The top brass have contempt for this government and its defence cuts.
Times, Sunday Times (2013)
He still looks some way short of the player who terrorised defences last season.
The Sun (2010)
He shows attacking play and you play football to enjoy defence.
The Sun (2014)
The court accepted her defence that she was sleepwalking and unaware of her actions.
Times, Sunday Times (2009)
The defence of the police that emerges from the case is not total.
Times, Sunday Times (2014)
We might as well begin the case for the defence early.
Times, Sunday Times (2011)
The planning application claims the sea defences will protect the path and the vulnerable habitat.
Times, Sunday Times (2015)
Plans are under way to make new defences to last another century.
Times, Sunday Times (2007)
The more vigorous growth also provides a better defence against blight disease and fruits especially have proved to have a higher resistance.
The Sun (2013)
The stunning early score from Wasps scared them into a more conservative approach to defence.
Times, Sunday Times (2016)
The Prime Minister promised that defence cuts would not impact on the front line.
The Sun (2011)
In other languages
defence
British English: defence /dɪˈfɛns/ NOUN
Defence is action taken to protect someone or something from attack.
The architecture was designed with defence in mind.
American English: defense
Arabic: دِفَاع
Brazilian Portuguese: defesa
Chinese: 防守
Croatian: obrana
Czech: obrana
Danish: forsvar
Dutch: verdediging
European Spanish: defensa
Finnish: puolustus
French: défense
German: Verteidigung
Greek: άμυνα
Italian: difesa
Japanese: 防御
Korean: 수비
Norwegian: forsvar
Polish: obrona
European Portuguese: defesa
Romanian: apărare
Russian: защита
Latin American Spanish: defensa
Swedish: försvar
Thai: การป้องกัน
Turkish: savunma
Ukrainian: захист
Vietnamese: sự phòng thủ
All related terms of 'defence'
the defence
the action of protecting oneself, one's goal , or one's allotted part of the playing area against an opponent's attacks
civil defence
Civil defence is the organization and training of the ordinary people in a country so that they can help the armed forces, medical services, or police force, for example if the country is attacked by an enemy.
self-defence
Self-defence is the use of force to protect yourself against someone who is attacking you.
zone defence
a tactic whereby each player in a team defends a particular area of the pitch or field
defence counsel
a barrister or group of barristers responsible for defending someone on trial
defence forces
the armed services of a country
defence policy
A policy is a set of ideas or plans that is used as a basis for making decisions , especially in politics , economics , or business.
robust defence
A defence is something that you say or write which supports ideas or actions that have been criticized or questioned .
defence barrister
In England and Wales , a barrister is a lawyer who represents clients in the higher courts of law. Compare → solicitor .
defence capability
A country's military capability is its ability to fight in a war.
defence mechanism
A defence mechanism is a way of behaving or thinking which is not conscious or deliberate and is an automatic reaction to unpleasant experiences or feelings such as anxiety and fear .
defence secretary
the member of a government who is responsible for the country's armed forces
perceptual defence
the process by which it is thought that certain stimuli are either not perceived or are distorted due to their offensive , unpleasant , or threatening nature
defence expenditure
the amount that a country spends on military measures or resources
defence in depth
the act or practice of positioning successive mutually supporting lines of defence in a given area
to sb's defence
If you come to someone's defence , you help them by doing or saying something to protect them.
anti-aircraft defence
military measures or resources aimed at destroying enemy aircraft
Ministry of Defence
the government department responsible for the country's military measures or resources
Ulster Defence Regiment
a former reserve regiment of the British Army based in Northern Ireland
European Defence Community
a plan proposed in 1950 to form a defence force including countries such as West Germany , France, and Italy . This plan was never carried out.
Ulster Defence Association
(in Northern Ireland) a Loyalist paramilitary organization