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Defenseless

   Also found in: Medical, Legal, Idioms, Encyclopedia, Wikipedia 0.01 sec.
de·fense  (d-fns)
n.
1. The act of defending against attack, danger, or injury.
2. A means or method of defending or protecting.
3. Sports The act or an instance of defending a championship against a challenger: will box in his third defense of his title.
4. An argument in support or justification of something. See Synonyms at apology.
5. Law
a. The action of the defendant in opposition to complaints against him or her.
b. The defendant and his or her legal counsel.
6. The science or art of defending oneself; self-defense.
7. often (dfns) Sports
a. Means or tactics used in trying to stop the opposition from scoring.
b. The team or those players on the team attempting to stop the opposition from scoring.
8. The military, governmental, and industrial complex, especially as it authorizes and manages weaponry production.
tr.v. de·fensed, de·fens·ing, de·fens·es Sports
1. To attempt to stop (the opposition) from scoring.
2. To play defense against (an opponent); guard.

[Middle English, from Old French, from Latin dfnsa, from feminine past participle of dfendere, to ward off; see defend.]

de·fenseless adj.
de·fenseless·ly adv.
de·fenseless·ness n.
ThesaurusLegend:  Synonyms Related Words Antonyms
Adj.1.defenseless - lacking protection or support; "a defenseless child"
vulnerable - susceptible to attack; "a vulnerable bridge"
2.defenseless - having no protecting or concealing cover; "naked to mine enemies"- Shakespeare
unprotected - lacking protection or defense
3.defenseless - lacking weapons for self-defense
unarmed - (used of persons or the military) not having or using arms; "went alone and unarmed"; "unarmed peasants were shot down"; "unarmed vehicles"
Adv.1.defenseless - without defense; "the child was standing in the middle of the crossfire, defenselessly"


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We must expose our property and liberty to the mercy of foreign invaders, and invite them by our weakness to seize the naked and defenseless prey, because we are afraid that rulers, created by our choice, dependent on our will, might endanger that liberty, by an abuse of the means necessary to its preservation.
With an ugly snarl he closed upon his defenseless victim, but ere his fangs had reached the throat they thirsted for, there was a sharp report and a bullet entered the ape's back between his shoulders.
He thought that since the maid was defenseless he could carry her away to one of his castles and none could gainsay him.
 
 
 
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