defense definition

1. (military) military action or resources protecting a country against potential enemies
• examples: they died in the defense of Stalingrad
• examples: they were developed for the defense program
2. protection from harm
• examples: sanitation is the best defense against disease
3. (sports) the team that is trying to prevent the other team from scoring
• examples: his teams are always good on defense
4. the justification for some act or belief
• examples: he offered a persuasive defense of the theory
5. (psychiatry) an unconscious process that tries to reduce the anxiety associated with instinctive desires
6. the defendant and his legal advisors collectively
• examples: the defense called for a mistrial
7. an organization of defenders that provides resistance against attack
• examples: he joined the defense against invasion
8. a defendant's answer or plea denying the truth of the charges against him
• examples: he gave evidence for the defense
9. the act of defending someone or something against attack or injury
• examples: a good boxer needs a good defense
• examples: defense against hurricanes is an urgent problem