defencenoun
UK US defense uk/dɪˈfens/us/dɪˈfens/defence noun (PROTECTION)
A2 [ C or U ] protection or support against attack, criticism, or infection:
More examples
- Whenever anyone criticizes her husband, she immediately jumps to his defence.
- The team has a strong attack, but its defence is weak.
- They put up a sturdy defence of their proposal.
- Huge sums of money are spent on national defence.
- They have been strengthening their border defences in preparation for war.
Thesaurus: synonyms and related words
Backing, supporting & defending
- -backed
- argumentation
- bale out
- bear
- behind every great/successful man there stands a woman idiom
- buttress
- carry
- defensible
- endorse
- espouse
- fight your corner idiom
- right behind sb idiom
- speak
- stake
- stand by sb
- stand by sth
- stand shoulder to shoulder with sb idiom
- strike
- sympathize
- sympathy
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defence noun (EXPLANATION)
[ S or U ] an argument or explanation that you use to prove that you are not guilty of something:
the things said in court to prove that a person did not commit a crime:
the person or people in a law case who have been accused of doing something illegal, and their lawyer(s):
Thesaurus: synonyms and related words
Court cases, orders & decisions
- actionable
- administer
- admissible
- affidavit
- affiliation order
- bail
- bale
- court martial
- inadmissible
- injunction
- judgment
- judicature
- judicial
- plea
- remedy
- retrial
- Rex
- ruling
- separation
- sequester
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You can also find related words, phrases, and synonyms in the topics:
defence noun (SPORT)
B1 [ S or U ] in some sports, the part of a team that tries to prevent the other team from scoring goals or points:
Thesaurus: synonyms and related words
Competitors & participants in sports & games
- back four
- benchwarmer
- boot boy
- center forward
- center half
- eleven
- fielder
- finisher
- gymnast
- outfield player
- outside forward
- phoenix club
- playmaker
- poacher
- runner
- scratch
- sprint
- squad
- underdog
- winger
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defence noun (CHESS)
specialized games [ C or U ] in the game of chess, a particular set of moves used by the person playing with the black pieces:
Thesaurus: synonyms and related words
Board games
- backgammon
- bishop
- blitz
- board game
- castle
- Chinese chequers
- Chutes and Ladders
- counter
- draught
- endgame
- forfeit
- gambit
- opening
- pawn
- pin
- queen
- queenside
- resign
- square
- stalemate
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