transcription, транскрипция: [ dɪfens ]
( defences)
Frequency: The word is one of the 1500 most common words in English.
Note: The spelling 'defense' is used in American English, and in meaning 8 is pronounced / di:fens /.
1.
Defence is action that is taken to protect someone or something against attack.
The land was flat, giving no scope for defence...
By wielding a knife in defence you run the risk of having it used against you.
N-UNCOUNT
2.
Defence is the organization of a country’s armies and weapons, and their use to protect the country or its interests.
Twenty eight percent of the federal budget is spent on defense.
...the French defence minister.
N-UNCOUNT : oft N n
3.
The defences of a country or region are all its armed forces and weapons.
...the need to maintain Britain’s defences at a sufficiently high level.
N-PLURAL
4.
A defence is something that people or animals can use or do to protect themselves.
The immune system is our main defence against disease...
= protection
N-COUNT : oft N against n
5.
A defence is something that you say or write which supports ideas or actions that have been criticized or questioned.
Chomsky’s defence of his approach goes further...
= justification
N-COUNT : oft N of n , also in N
6.
In a court of law, an accused person’s defence is the process of presenting evidence in their favour.
He has insisted on conducting his own defence.
N-COUNT : oft with poss
7.
The defence is the case that is presented by a lawyer in a trial for the person who has been accused of a crime. You can also refer to this person’s lawyers as the defence .
The defence was that the records of the interviews were fabricated by the police...
N-SING : usu the N
8.
In games such as football or hockey, the defence is the group of players in a team who try to stop the opposing players scoring a goal or a point.
Their defence, so strong last season, has now conceded 12 goals in six games...
I still prefer to play in defence.
≠ attack
N-SING-COLL : oft poss N , also in N
9.
If you come to someone’s defence , you help them by doing or saying something to protect them.
He realized none of his schoolmates would come to his defense...
PHRASE : PHR after v