DEFENSE

Noun

1. 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"
2. protection from harm; "sanitation is the best defense against disease"
3. (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"
4. a defendant's answer or plea denying the truth of the charges against him; "he gave evidence for the defense"
5. a structure used to defend against attack; "the artillery battered down the defenses"
6. the justification for some act or belief; "he offered a persuasive defense of the theory"
7. 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"
8. an organization of defenders that provides resistance against attack; "he joined the defense against invasion"
9. the defendant and his legal advisors collectively; "the defense called for a mistrial"
10. (sports) the team that is trying to prevent the other team from scoring; "his teams are always good on defense"
11. the federal department responsible for safeguarding national security of the United States; created in 1947
12. (psychiatry) an unconscious process that tries to reduce the anxiety associated with instinctive desires