11. defense the players of such a team or their positions.
12. (v.t.)defense to defend against (an opponent, play, etc.).
Etymology: (1250–1300; ME < OF < LL dēfēnsa a forbidding, der. of L dēfendere to defend)
Definition of 'defense'
Princeton's WordNet
1. (noun)defense, defence, defensive measure (military) militaryaction or resources protecting a country against potential enemies "they died in the defense of Stalingrad"; "they were developed for the defense program"
2. (noun)defense, defence protection from harm "sanitation is the best defense against disease"
3. (noun)defense, defence, defending team (sports) the team that is trying to prevent the other team from scoring "his teams are always good on defense"
4. (noun)defense, defence, vindication the justification for some act or belief "he offered a persuasive defense of the theory"
5. (noun)defense mechanism, defense reaction, defence mechanism, defence reaction, defense, defence (psychiatry) an unconsciousprocess that tries to reduce the anxiety associated with instinctive desires
6. (noun)Department of Defense, Defense Department, United States Department of Defense, Defense, DoD the federaldepartment responsible for safeguarding nationalsecurity of the United States; created in 1947
7. (noun)defense, defence, defense team, defense lawyers the defendant and his legal advisors collectively "the defense called for a mistrial"
8. (noun)refutation, defense, 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"
9. (noun)defense, defence, defense force, defence force an organization of defenders that provides resistance against attack "he joined the defense against invasion"
10. (noun)defensive structure, defense, defence a structure used to defend against attack "the artillery battered down the defenses"
11. (noun)defense, defence, denial, demurrer a defendant's answer or plea denying the truth of the charges against him "he gave evidence for the defense"
12. (noun)defense, 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"
1. (noun)defense protection against sth that causes harm, or the act of protecting the country's defense budget; our only defense against the enemy; the body's best defense against disease
2. defense support for sb being criticized She reacted angrily in defense of her child.; to come to sb's defense in an argument
3. defense arguments used in court to try to prove sb is not guilty His defense seemed weak.
4. defense the defense the lawyers who present these arguments The defense argued against this point.
5. (noun)defense the players on a sports team that try to stop the other team from scoring I play defense.; Our defense was terrible.
Definitions of defense 
