(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
[ Syn: defence , defensive measure ]
a structure used to defend against attack; the artillery battered down the defenses
[ Syn: defensive structure , defence ]
a defendants answer or plea denying the truth of the charges against him; he gave evidence for the defense
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
[ Syn: defence ]
protection from harm; sanitation is the best defense against disease
[ Syn: defence ]
(sports) the team that is trying to prevent the other team from scoring; his teams are always good on defense
[ Syn: defence , defence , defending team , defending team ]
the justification for some act or belief; he offered a persuasive defense of the theory
[ Syn: defence , vindication ]
(psychiatry) an unconscious process that tries to reduce the anxiety associated with instinctive desires
[ Syn: defense mechanism , defense mechanism , defense reaction , defense reaction , defence mechanism , defence mechanism , defence reaction , defence reaction , defence , defence ]
the federal department responsible for safeguarding national security of the United States; created in 1947
[ Syn: department of defense , defense department , united states department of defense , defense , dod ]
the defendant and his legal advisors collectively; the defense called for a mistrial
[ Syn: defence , defense team , defense lawyers ]
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
[ Syn: refutation , defence ]
an organization of defenders that provides resistance against attack; he joined the defense against invasion
[ Syn: defence , defense force , defence force ]