Printer Friendly
Dictionary, Encyclopedia and Thesaurus - The Free Dictionary
1,521,704,700 visitors served.
forum mailing list For webmasters
?
New: Language forums
Dictionary/
thesaurus
Medical
dictionary
Legal
dictionary
Financial
dictionary
Acronyms
 
Idioms
Encyclopedia
Wikipedia
encyclopedia
?

defence
(redirected from defenses)

   Also found in: Medical, Legal, Idioms, Encyclopedia, Wikipedia, Hutchinson 0.48 sec.
de·fence  (d-fns)
n. & v. Chiefly British
Variant of defense.

defence or US defense
Noun
1. resistance against attack
2. something that provides such resistance
3. an argument or piece of writing in support of something that has been criticized or questioned
4. a country's military resources
5. Law a defendant's denial of the truth of a charge
6. Law the defendant and his or her legal advisers collectively
7. Sport the players in a team whose function is to prevent the opposing team from scoring
8. defences fortifications [Latin defendere to defend]
defenceless or US
defenseless adj
ThesaurusLegend:  Synonyms Related Words Antonyms
Noun1.defence - (psychiatry) an unconscious process that tries to reduce the anxiety associated with instinctive desires
unconscious process, process - a mental process that you are not directly aware of; "the process of denial"
psychiatry, psychological medicine, psychopathology - the branch of medicine dealing with the diagnosis and treatment of mental disorders
compensation - (psychiatry) a defense mechanism that conceals your undesirable shortcomings by exaggerating desirable behaviors
conversion - (psychiatry) a defense mechanism represses emotional conflicts which are then converted into physical symptoms that have no organic basis
denial - (psychiatry) a defense mechanism that denies painful thoughts
displacement - (psychiatry) a defense mechanism that transfers affect or reaction from the original object to some more acceptable one
idealisation, idealization - (psychiatry) a defense mechanism that splits something you are ambivalent about into two representations--one good and one bad
intellectualisation, intellectualization - (psychiatry) a defense mechanism that uses reasoning to block out emotional stress and conflict
isolation - (psychiatry) a defense mechanism in which memory of an unacceptable act or impulse is separated from the emotion originally associated with it
projection - (psychiatry) a defense mechanism by which your own traits and emotions are attributed to someone else
psychoanalytic process - a process that is assumed to occur in psychoanalytic theory
rationalisation, rationalization - (psychiatry) a defense mechanism by which your true motivation is concealed by explaining your actions and feelings in a way that is not threatening
reaction formation - (psychiatry) a defense mechanism in which a person unconsciously develops attitudes and behavior that are the opposite of unacceptable repressed desires and impulses and serve to conceal them; "his strict morality is just a reaction formation to hide his sexual drive"
regression - (psychiatry) a defense mechanism in which you flee from reality by assuming a more infantile state
repression - (psychiatry) the classical defense mechanism that protects you from impulses or ideas that would cause anxiety by preventing them from becoming conscious
2.defencedefence - (sports) the team that is trying to prevent the other team from scoring; "his teams are always good on defense"
athletics, sport - an active diversion requiring physical exertion and competition
team, squad - a cooperative unit (especially in sports)
offence, offense - the team that has the ball (or puck) and is trying to score
3.defence - the defendant and his legal advisors collectively; "the defense called for a mistrial"
aggregation, collection, accumulation, assemblage - several things grouped together or considered as a whole
4.defencedefence - an organization of defenders that provides resistance against attack; "he joined the defense against invasion"
organization, organisation - a group of people who work together
bastion - a group that defends a principle; "a bastion against corruption"; "the last bastion of communism"
5.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"
answer - the speech act of replying to a question
confutation - the speech act of refuting conclusively
rebuttal - the speech act of refuting by offering a contrary contention or argument
6.defence - the justification for some act or belief; "he offered a persuasive defense of the theory"
justification - a statement in explanation of some action or belief
apologia, apology - a formal written defense of something you believe in strongly
alibi - (law) a defense by an accused person purporting to show that he or she could not have committed the crime in question
exculpation, excuse, self-justification, alibi - a defense of some offensive behavior or some failure to keep a promise etc.; "he kept finding excuses to stay"; "every day he had a new alibi for not getting a job"; "his transparent self-justification was unacceptable"
7.defence - a structure used to defend against attack; "the artillery battered down the defenses"
cheval-de-frise, chevaux-de-frise - defensive structure consisting of a movable obstacle composed of barbed wire or spikes attached to a wooden frame; used to obstruct cavalry
fortification, munition - defensive structure consisting of walls or mounds built around a stronghold to strengthen it
fortress, fort - a fortified defensive structure
line of defence, line of defense - defensive structure consisting of a barrier that can be employed for defense against attack
outwork - subsidiary defensive structure lying outside the main fortified area; "the outworks of the castle"
stronghold, fastness - a strongly fortified defensive structure
structure, construction - a thing constructed; a complex entity constructed of many parts; "the structure consisted of a series of arches"; "she wore her hair in an amazing construction of whirls and ribbons"
8.defence - a defendant's answer or plea denying the truth of the charges against him; "he gave evidence for the defense"
due process, due process of law - (law) the administration of justice according to established rules and principles; based on the principle that a person cannot be deprived of life or liberty or property without appropriate legal procedures and safeguards
trial - (law) the determination of a person's innocence or guilt by due process of law; "he had a fair trial and the jury found him guilty"; "most of these complaints are settled before they go to trial"
entrapment - a defense that claims the defendant would not have broken the law if not tricked into doing it by law enforcement officials
law, jurisprudence - the collection of rules imposed by authority; "civilization presupposes respect for the law"; "the great problem for jurisprudence to allow freedom while enforcing order"
9.defence - (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"
umbrella - a formation of military planes maintained over ground operations or targets; "an air umbrella over England"
military action, action - a military engagement; "he saw action in Korea"
air defense - defensive measures designed to destroy attacking enemy aircraft or missiles or to nullify their effectiveness
stand - a defensive effort; "the army made a final stand at the Rhone"
hasty defence, hasty defense - a defense organized while in contact with the enemy or when time is limited
deliberate defence, deliberate defense - a defense organized before contact is made with the enemy and while time for organization is available; usually includes a fortified zone (with pillboxes) and communication systems
biodefence, biodefense, biological defence, biological defense - procedures involved in taking defensive measures against attacks using biological agents
chemical defence, chemical defense - procedures involved in taking defensive measures against attacks using chemical agents
minelaying, mining - laying explosive mines in concealed places to destroy enemy personnel and equipment
armed forces, armed services, military, military machine, war machine - the military forces of a nation; "their military is the largest in the region"; "the military machine is the same one we faced in 1991 but now it is weaker"
10.defence - protection from harm; "sanitation is the best defense against disease"
protection - the activity of protecting someone or something; "the witnesses demanded police protection"
11.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"
protection - the activity of protecting someone or something; "the witnesses demanded police protection"

defence U.S. defense
2. armaments, weapons
plural noun 5. shield, barricade, fortification, bastion, buttress, rampart, bulwark, fastness, fortified pa N.Z.
Translations
defence (US), defense [dɪˈfɛns] ndefensa;
the Ministry of Defence → el Ministerio de Defensa;
witness for the defence → testigo de descargo

defence (US), defense [dɪˈfɛns] ndéfense f;
in defence of → pour défendre;
witness for the defence → témoin m à décharge;
the Ministry of Defence (US);
the Department of Defense → le ministère de la Défense nationale

defence (US) defense [dɪˈfɛns] nVerteidigung f;
(justification) → Rechtfertigung f;
in defence of → zur Verteidigung +gen;
witness for the defence → Zeuge m/Zeugin f der Verteidigung;
the Ministry of Defence, the Department of Defense (US) → das Verteidigungsministerium

defence (US), defense [dɪˈfɛns] ndifesa;
in defence of → in difesa di;
the Ministry of Defence (US);
the Department of Defense → il Ministero della Difesa;
witness for the defence → teste m/f a difesa

defence
n defence [diˈfens]
1 the act or action of defending against attack the defence of Rome; He spoke in defence of the plans. verdediging دِفاع защита obrana forsvar die Verteidigung άμυνα defensa kaitse دفاع؛ حمایت puolustus défense הֲגַנָה रक्षा obrana,zaštita védelem pertahanan vörn difesa 防衛 방어, 방위 gynimas aizstāvēšana pertahankan verdediging forsvar, vern obrona defesa apă­rare оборона; защита obrana obramba odbrana försvar การป้องกัน savunma 防衛 захист حملے سے مدافعت کی کارروائی sự phòng thủ
2 the method or equipment used to guard or protect The walls will act as a defence against flooding. verdediging, beskerming, keerwerk وِقايَه защита ochrana forsvar; værn der Schutz προστασία defensa kaitse, kindlustis محافظ؛ پناه suoja défense אֱמצָעִי הֲגַנָה रक्षा obrana erősítés pertahanan vörn difesa 防御物 방어물 apsauga, gynyba aizsardzība pertahanan verdediging vern, forsvar ochrona defesa (mijloc de) apărare защита ochrana obramba odbrana skydd, värn การป้องกัน savunma yöntemi, korunma aracı 防衛方法,防禦物 оборона; оборонна споруда دفاعی وسائل bảo vệ 方法
3 a person's answer to an accusation especially in a law-court What is your defence? verdediging, verweer دِفاع (في المَحْكَمَه) защита obhajoba forsvar die Verteidigung υπεράσπιση defensa kaitsekõne دفاع puolustuspuhe défense קָו הֲגַנַה बचाव obrana na sudu védekezés pembelaan vörn difesa 弁護 변호, 변론 apsigynimas, pasiteisinimas aizstāvība pembelaan verdediging forsvar obrona defesa apărare защита obhajoba obramba odbrana försvar[], svaromål ผู้แก้ต่าง savunma, müdafaa [律]辯護 захист جواب دعوی lời biện hộ
adj deˈfenceless
helpless or without protection. weerloos, onbeskermd عاجِز، بِدون حِمايَه беззащитен bezbranný forsvarsløs; hjælpeløs schutzlos ανυπεράσπιστος indefenso kaitsetu بی دفاع puolustuskyvytön sans défense חָסַר הֲגַנָה बेबस, रक्षाहीन nezaštićen, goloruk védtelen tak berdaya varnarlaus indifeso 無防備な 무방비의 bejėgis, beginklis neaizsargāts tidak berdaya weerloos forsvarsløs bezbronny indefeso fără apărare беззащитный bezbranný nezaščiten bespomoćan försvarslös ซึ่งป้องกันตัวไม่ได้ savunmasız 無防禦的 беззахисний لاچار ، نہتّا không có khả năng tự vệ
the defence
the case on behalf of a person who is accused in a law court the counsel for the defence. die verdediging الدِّفاع (عن المُدَّعى عَلَيْهِ) защитата obhajoba forsvaret die Verteidigung υπεράσπιση κατηγορουμένου la defensa kaitse وکیل یا وکلای مدافع puolustus la défense הֲגַנָה बचाव slučaj obrane a védelem pembelaan varnaraðilar la difesa 被告側 피고 gynimas, gynyba aizstāvība pertahankan verdediging forsvar(s-) obrona defesa apărarea защита obhajoba obramba odbrana svarandesidan การแก้ต่าง savunma 被告方 захист ملزم کا وکیل luật sư biện hộ 被告


How to thank TFD for its existence? Tell a friend about us, add a link to this page, add the site to iGoogle, or visit webmaster's page for free fun content.
?Page tools
Printer friendly
Cite / link
Email
Feedback
Add definition
? Mentioned in
 
Dictionary/thesaurus browser? ? Full browser
 
 
Dictionary, Thesaurus, and Translations
?

Disclaimer | Privacy policy | Feedback | Copyright © 2009 Farlex, Inc.
All content on this website, including dictionary, thesaurus, literature, geography, and other reference data is for informational purposes only. This information should not be considered complete, up to date, and is not intended to be used in place of a visit, consultation, or advice of a legal, medical, or any other professional. Terms of Use.