defense   (Sound)

The noun defense has 12 senses

• defense, defence, defensive measure -- ((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")


• defense, defence -- (protection from harm; "sanitation is the best defense against disease")


• defense, defence, defending team -- ((sports) the team that is trying to prevent the other team from scoring; "his teams are always good on defense")


• defense, defence, vindication -- (the justification for some act or belief; "he offered a persuasive defense of the theory")


• defense mechanism, defense reaction, defence mechanism, defence reaction, defense, defence -- ((psychiatry) an unconscious process that tries to reduce the anxiety associated with instinctive desires)


• Department of Defense, Defense Department, United States Department of Defense, Defense, DoD -- (the federal department responsible for safeguarding national security of the United States; created in 1947)


• defense, defence, defense team, defense lawyers -- (the defendant and his legal advisors collectively; "the defense called for a mistrial")


• refutation, defense, defence -- (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")


• defense, defence, defense force, defence force -- (an organization of defenders that provides resistance against attack; "he joined the defense against invasion")


• defensive structure, defense, defence -- (a structure used to defend against attack; "the artillery battered down the defenses")


• defense, defence, denial, demurrer -- (a defendant's answer or plea denying the truth of the charges against him; "he gave evidence for the defense")


• defense, defence -- (the act of defending someone or something against attack or injury; "a good boxer needs a good defense"; "defense against hurricanes is an urgent problem")