From The Collaborative International Dictionary of English v.0.48 [gcide]:
Defence \De*fence"\ (d[-e]*f[e^]ns"), n. & v. t.
See {Defense}.
[1913 Webster]
From The Collaborative International Dictionary of English v.0.48 [gcide]:
Defense \De*fense"\, Defence \De*fence"\, n. [F. d['e]fense, OF.
defense, fem., defens, masc., fr. L. defensa (cf. LL.
defensum), from defendere. See {Defend}, and cf. {Fence}.]
1. The act of defending, or the state of being defended;
protection, as from violence or danger.
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In cases of defense 't is best to weigh
The enemy more mighty than he seems. --Shak.
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2. That which defends or protects; anything employed to
oppose attack, ward off violence or danger, or maintain
security; a guard; a protection.
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War would arise in defense of the right. --Tennyson.
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God, the widow's champion and defense. --Shak.
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3. Protecting plea; vindication; justification.
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Men, brethren, and fathers, hear ye my defense.
--Acts xxii.
1.
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4. (Law) The defendant's answer or plea; an opposing or
denial of the truth or validity of the plaintiff's or
prosecutor's case; the method of proceeding adopted by the
defendant to protect himself against the plaintiff's
action.
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5. Act or skill in making defense; defensive plan or policy;
practice in self defense, as in fencing, boxing, etc.
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A man of great defense. --Spenser.
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By how much defense is better than no skill. --Shak.
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6. Prohibition; a prohibitory ordinance. [Obs.]
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Severe defenses . . . against wearing any linen
under a certain breadth. --Sir W.
Temple.
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From The Collaborative International Dictionary of English v.0.48 [gcide]:
Defense \De*fense"\, v. t.
To furnish with defenses; to fortify. [Obs.] [Written also
{defence}.]
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Better manned and more strongly defensed. --Hales.
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From WordNet (r) 3.0 (2006) [wn]:
defence
n 1: (psychiatry) an unconscious process that tries to reduce
the anxiety associated with instinctive desires [syn:
{defense mechanism}, {defense reaction}, {defence
mechanism}, {defence reaction}, {defense}, {defence}]
2: (sports) the team that is trying to prevent the other team
from scoring; "his teams are always good on defense" [syn:
{defense}, {defence}, {defending team}] [ant: {offence},
{offense}]
3: the defendant and his legal advisors collectively; "the
defense called for a mistrial" [syn: {defense}, {defence},
{defense team}, {defense lawyers}] [ant: {prosecution}]
4: an organization of defenders that provides resistance against
attack; "he joined the defense against invasion" [syn:
{defense}, {defence}, {defense force}, {defence force}]
5: 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" [syn: {refutation},
{defense}, {defence}]
6: the justification for some act or belief; "he offered a
persuasive defense of the theory" [syn: {defense}, {defence},
{vindication}]
7: a structure used to defend against attack; "the artillery
battered down the defenses" [syn: {defensive structure},
{defense}, {defence}]
8: a defendant's answer or plea denying the truth of the charges
against him; "he gave evidence for the defense" [syn:
{defense}, {defence}, {denial}, {demurrer}] [ant: {criminal
prosecution}, {prosecution}]
9: (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"
[syn: {defense}, {defence}, {defensive measure}]
10: protection from harm; "sanitation is the best defense
against disease" [syn: {defense}, {defence}]
11: 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" [syn: {defense},
{defence}]
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