(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"
(sports) the team that is trying to prevent the other team from scoring
"his teams are always good on defense"
the justification for some act or belief
"he offered a persuasive defense of the theory"
(psychiatry) an unconscious process that tries to reduce the anxiety associated with instinctive desires
"During therapy, she realized her constant need for perfection was a defense mechanism protecting her from the shame of wanting pleasure."
the federal department responsible for safeguarding national security of the United States; created in 1947
"After years of arguing over budget cuts, the president finally addressed a joint session to explain why the Department of Defense needed more funding."
the defendant and his legal advisors collectively
"the defense called for a mistrial"
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"
an organization of defenders that provides resistance against attack
"he joined the defense against invasion"
a structure used to defend against attack
"the artillery battered down the defenses"
The action of defending or protecting from attack, danger, or injury.
"The team's new defensive strategy successfully stopped the opposing players from scoring any goals in the second half."
In plain English: Defense is an action taken to stop someone from attacking or hurting you.
"The player made a great defense to stop the opponent from scoring."
Usage: Use defense to describe the act of protecting someone or something from harm or an attack. It is often used in legal contexts to refer to arguments made by the accused or in sports to denote strategies aimed at preventing the opposing team from scoring.
The word "defense" entered English from Old French and ultimately Late Latin, where it originally meant protection. It replaced an earlier native English term for shielding or guarding.