defense

n 1: 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: {defence}, {defensive measure}]

2: protection from harm; "sanitation is the best defense

against disease" [syn: {defence}]

3: the team that is trying to prevent the other team from

scoring; "his teams are always good on defense" [syn: {defence},

{defending team}] [ant: {offense}]

4: the justification for some act or belief; "he offered a

persuasive defense of the theory" [syn: {defence}, {vindication}]

5: an unconscious process that tries to reduce the anxiety

associated with instinctive desires [syn: {defense

mechanism}, {defense reaction}, {defence mechanism}, {defence

reaction}, {defence}]

6: the federal department responsible for safeguarding national

security; created in 1947 [syn: {Department of Defense}, {Defense

Department}, {Defense}, {DoD}]

7: the defendant and his legal advisors collectively; "the

defense called for a mistrial" [syn: {defence}, {defense

team}, {defense lawyers}] [ant: {prosecution}]

8: 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},

{defence}]

9: an organization of defenders that provides resistance

against attack; "he joined the defense against invasion"

[syn: {defence}]

10: a structure used for defense; "the artillery battered down

the defenses" [syn: {defensive structure}, {defence}]

11: a defendant's answer or plea denying the truth of the

charges against him; "he gave evidence for the defense"

[syn: {defence}, {denial}, {demurrer}] [ant: {prosecution}]