Word forms: 3rd person singular presenttense defends, present participle defending, past tense, past participle defended
1. verb
If you defend someone or something, you take action in order to protect them.
Every man who could fight was now committed to defend the ridge. [VERB noun]
His courage in defending religious and civil rights inspired many outside the church. [VERB noun]
They would have killed him if he had not defended himself. [VERB pronoun-reflexive]
[Also V n against n]
Synonyms: protect, cover, guard, screen More Synonyms of defend
2. verb
If you defend someone or something when they have been criticized, you argue in support of them.
Matt defended all of Clarence's decisions, right or wrong. [VERB noun]
The author defended herself against charges of plagiarism. [V pron-refl against n]
Police chiefs strongly defended police conduct against a wave of criticism. [V n against n]
[Also VERB pronoun-reflexive]
Synonyms: support, champion, justify, maintain More Synonyms of defend
3. verb
When a lawyer defends a person who has been accused of something, the lawyer argues on their behalf in a court of law that the charges are not true.
...a lawyer who defended political prisoners during the military regime. [VERB noun]
He has hired a lawyer to defend him against the allegations. [VERB noun + against]
Guy Powell, defending, told magistrates: 'It's a sad and disturbing case.' [VERB]
4. verb
When a sports player plays in the tournament which they won the previous time it was held, you can say that they are defending their title.
[journalism]
The reigning champion expects to defend her title successfully next year. [VERB noun]
India had to struggle to beat defending champions South Korea 2-0. [VERB-ing]
defend in British English
(dɪˈfɛnd)
verb
1.
to protect (a person, place, etc) from harm or danger; ward off an attack on
2. (transitive)
to support in the face of criticism, esp by argument or evidence
3.
to represent (a defendant) in court in a civil or criminal action
4. sport
to guard or protect (oneself, one's goal, etc) against attack
5. (transitive)
to protect (a championship or title) against a challenge
Derived forms
defendable (deˈfendable)
adjective
defender (deˈfender)
noun
Word origin
C13: from Old French defendre, from Latin dēfendere to ward off, from de- + -fendere to strike
defend in American English
(diˈfɛnd; dɪˈfɛnd)
verb transitive
1.
a.
to guard from attack; keep from harm or danger; protect
b.
to protect (a goal, etc.) against scoring by an opponent
2.
to support, maintain, or justify
defend one's conduct
3. Law
a.
to oppose (an action)
b.
to plead (one's cause) in defense
c.
to act as lawyer for (an accused)
verb intransitive
4.
to make a defense
Derived forms
defendable (deˈfendable)
adjective
defender (deˈfender)
noun
Word origin
ME defenden < OFr defendre < L defendere, to ward off, repel < de-, away, from + fendere, to strike < IE base *gwhen-, to strike > Gr theinein, to kill, strike, OE guth, combat
More idioms containing
defend
go to the stake to defend something
Examples of 'defend' in a sentence
defend
The home secretary strongly defended her actions and those of her senior civil servants.
Times, Sunday Times (2016)
You live and die by the way you defend and attack.
The Sun (2017)
You defend and attack as a team.
The Sun (2016)
We attack and defend as a team.
The Sun (2016)
Or that he defended himself in court.
The Sun (2016)
My lawyers will defend it if that's the case.
Times, Sunday Times (2016)
You have to defend well, attack well and we didn't do it.
Times, Sunday Times (2017)
He added:'We need to get the balance right between attacking and defending.
The Sun (2016)
They all deny the claims and have vowed to defend themselves in court.
Times, Sunday Times (2013)
The people there are hugely worth defending and supporting.
The Sun (2010)
We have tried to find a good balance between attacking and defending.
Times, Sunday Times (2009)
He instructed lawyers to defend him in the civil action but withdrew them.
Times, Sunday Times (2009)
The problem is that the police too often arrest householders taking reasonable action to defend themselves.
Times, Sunday Times (2012)
That airman might well be defended at court martial by the officer who heard the original charge.
Times, Sunday Times (2014)
Or recall the emphasis on defending and supporting the family unit.
Christianity Today (2000)
They all defend together and attack together.
The Sun (2013)
The mayor is vigorously defending the court action.
Times, Sunday Times (2014)
He was taken to court and he defended himself.
Gifford, Zerbanoo The Golden Thread - Asian experiences of post-Raj Britain (1990)
The townspeople protected themselves by building walls to defend against attacking nobles.
Appelbaum, Richard P. Sociology (1995)
In fact our defence mechanisms spring into action to defend us against being overwhelmed.
Knowles, Jane Know Your Own Mind (1991)
He defended clients in court for driving offences.
The Sun (2008)
The pilots went from attacking bombers to defending them.
Patrick Bishop FIGHTER BOYS: Saving Britain 1940 (2003)
Bookmakers are fighting a rearguard action to defend them.
Times, Sunday Times (2014)
But not one of his colleagues was prepared to defend him in court.
Times, Sunday Times (2011)
But he was accused of talking tough while ditching a vow to introduce new laws to protect people who defend their homes.
The Sun (2011)
It said that it was ready to defend and protect Turkey if necessary.
Times, Sunday Times (2012)
But the British taxpayer could end up paying for the teams of lawyers defending them.
The Sun (2011)
At the last minute, he fired his lawyers to defend himself.
Times, Sunday Times (2011)
You have to be prepared to stand up in front of the people who feel the impact of these laws and defend what you support.
Times, Sunday Times (2012)
She had supported me and defended me as only she could and I wanted to thank her.
Times, Sunday Times (2014)
The Tory leader's tough message came as he spelled out plans to protect people who defend their properties.
The Sun (2010)
In other languages
defend
British English: defend /dɪˈfɛnd/ VERB
If you defend someone or something, you take action to protect them.
He and his friends defended themselves against the attackers.
American English: defend
Arabic: يُدَافِعُ
Brazilian Portuguese: defender
Chinese: 保卫
Croatian: braniti
Czech: bránit
Danish: forsvare
Dutch: verdedigen
European Spanish: defender
Finnish: puolustaa
French: défendre
German: verteidigen
Greek: υπερασπίζομαι
Italian: difendere
Japanese: 防御する
Korean: 방어하다
Norwegian: forsvare
Polish: obronić
European Portuguese: defender
Romanian: a apăra
Russian: защищать
Latin American Spanish: defender
Swedish: försvara
Thai: แก้ตัว
Turkish: savunmak
Ukrainian: захищати
Vietnamese: bảo vệ
Chinese translation of 'defend'
defend
(dɪˈfɛnd)
vt
(= protect) 防御 (fángyù)
(= justify) 为(為) ... 辩(辯)护(護) (wèi ... biànhù)
(in court) 为(為) ... 辩(辯)护(護) (wèi ... biànhù)
(in sport)[goal, record, title]防守 (fángshǒu)
to defend o.s.自卫(衛) (zìwèi)
1 (verb)
Definition
to protect from harm or danger
They defended themselves against some thugs.
Synonyms
protect
He vowed to protect them.
cover
You make a run for it and I'll cover you.
guard
Sentries guarded the entrance to the building.
screen
They deliberately screened him from knowledge of their operations.
secure
The loan is secured against your home.
preserve
We need to preserve the rainforests.
look after
shelter
A neighbour sheltered the boy for seven days.
shield
He shielded his head from the sun with an old sack.
harbour
harbouring terrorist suspects
safeguard
international action to safeguard the ozone layer
fortify
British soldiers working to fortify an airbase
ward off
watch over
stick up for (informal)
keep safe
give sanctuary
2 (verb)
Definition
to support in the face of criticism
The members of the committee strongly defended their decision.
Synonyms
support
He supported the hardworking people.
champion
He passionately championed the poor.
justify
This decision was fully justified by economic conditions.
maintain
sustain
The magnets have lost the capacity to sustain the weight.
plead for
endorse
I can endorse this statement wholeheartedly.
assert
The republics began asserting their right to govern themselves.
stand by
uphold
upholding the artist's right to creative freedom
vindicate
Subsequent events vindicated his policy.
stand up for
espouse
She ran away to Mexico and espoused the revolutionary cause.
speak up for
stick up for (informal)
Additional synonyms
in the sense of assert
Definition
to insist upon (one's rights, etc.)
The republics began asserting their right to govern themselves.
Synonyms
insist upon,
stress,
defend,
uphold,
put forward,
vindicate,
press,
stand up for
in the sense of champion
Definition
to support
He passionately championed the poor.
Synonyms
support,
back,
defend,
promote,
advocate,
fight for,
uphold,
espouse,
stick up for (informal),
endorse
in the sense of cover
Definition
to protect (an individual or group) by taking up a position from which fire may be returned if those being protected are fired upon