1.
Defiance is behaviour or an attitude which shows that you are not willing to obey someone.
...his courageous ~ of the government.
N-UNCOUNT: oft N of n
2.
If you do something in ~ of a person, rule, or law, you do it even though you know that you are not allowed to do it.
Thousands of people have taken to the streets in ~ of the curfew.
PHRASE: PHR n