4  definitions  found 
 
  From  Webster's  Revised  Unabridged  Dictionary  (1913)  [web1913]: 
 
  Defence  \De*fence"\,  n.  &  v.  t. 
  See  {Defense}. 
 
  From  Webster's  Revised  Unabridged  Dictionary  (1913)  [web1913]: 
 
  Defense  \De*fense"\,  Defence  \De*fence"\,  n.  [F.  d['e]fense,  OF 
  defense,  fem.,  defens,  masc.,  fr  L.  defensa  (cf.  LL 
  defensum),  from  defendere.  See  {Defend},  and  cf  {Fence}.] 
  1.  The  act  of  defending,  or  the  state  of  being  defended; 
  protection,  as  from  violence  or  danger. 
 
  In  cases  of  defense  't  is  best  to  weigh  The  enemy 
  more  mighty  than  he  seems  --Shak. 
 
  2.  That  which  defends  or  protects;  anything  employed  to 
  oppose  attack,  ward  off  violence  or  danger,  or  maintain 
  security;  a  guard;  a  protection. 
 
  War  would  arise  in  defense  of  the  right  --Tennyson. 
 
  God,  the  widow's  champion  and  defense.  --Shak. 
 
  3.  Protecting  plea;  vindication;  justification. 
 
  Men,  brethren,  and  fathers,  hear  ye  my  defense. 
  --Acts  xxii. 
  1. 
 
  4.  (Law)  The  defendant's  answer  or  plea;  an  opposing  or 
  denial  of  the  truth  or  validity  of  the  plaintiff's  or 
  prosecutor's  case;  the  method  of  proceeding  adopted  by  the 
  defendant  to  protect  himself  against  the  plaintiff's 
  action 
 
  5.  Act  or  skill  in  making  defense;  defensive  plan  or  policy; 
  practice  in  self  defense,  as  in  fencing,  boxing,  etc 
 
  A  man  of  great  defense.  --Spenser. 
 
  By  how  much  defense  is  better  than  no  skill.  --Shak. 
 
  6.  Prohibition;  a  prohibitory  ordinance.  [Obs.] 
 
  Severe  defenses  .  .  .  against  wearing  any  linen 
  under  a  certain  breadth.  --Sir  W. 
  Temple. 
 
  From  Webster's  Revised  Unabridged  Dictionary  (1913)  [web1913]: 
 
  Defense  \De*fense"\,  v.  t. 
  To  furnish  with  defenses;  to  fortify.  [Obs.]  [Written  also 
  {defence}.] 
 
  Better  manned  and  more  strongly  defensed.  --Hales. 
 
  From  WordNet  r  1.6  [wn]: 
 
  defence 
  n  1:  an  unconscious  process  that  tries  to  reduce  the  anxiety 
  associated  with  instinctive  desires  [syn:  {defense 
  mechanism},  {defense  reaction},  {defence  mechanism},  {defence 
  reaction},  {defense}] 
  2:  the  team  that  is  trying  to  prevent  the  other  team  from 
  scoring;  "his  teams  are  always  good  on  defense"  [syn:  {defense}, 
  {defending  team}]  [ant:  {offense}] 
  3:  the  defendant  and  his  legal  advisors  collectively;  "the 
  defense  called  for  a  mistrial"  [syn:  {defense},  {defense 
  team},  {defense  lawyers}]  [ant:  {prosecution}] 
  4:  an  organization  of  defenders  that  provides  resistance 
  against  attack;  "he  joined  the  defense  against  invasion" 
  [syn:  {defense}] 
  5:  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}, 
  {defense}] 
  6:  the  justification  for  some  act  or  belief;  "he  offered  a 
  persuasive  defense  of  the  theory"  [syn:  {defense},  {vindication}] 
  7:  a  structure  used  for  defense;  "the  artillery  battered  down 
  the  defenses"  [syn:  {defensive  structure},  {defense}] 
  8:  a  defendant's  answer  or  plea  denying  the  truth  of  the 
  charges  against  him  "he  gave  evidence  for  the  defense" 
  [syn:  {defense},  {denial},  {demurrer}]  [ant:  {prosecution}] 
  9:  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:  {defense},  {defensive  measure}] 
  10:  protection  from  harm;  "sanitation  is  the  best  defense 
  against  disease"  [syn:  {defense}] 

browse words by letter
a b c d e f g h i j k l m n o p q r s t u v w x y z
or search   thesauri dictionary search words