Defense vs. Defend

The action of defending or protecting from attack, danger, or injury.

Anything employed to oppose attack(s).

A strategy and tactics employed to prevent the other team from scoring; contrasted with offense.

The portion of a team dedicated to preventing the other team from scoring; contrasted with offense.

An argument in support or justification of something.

Government policy or (infra)structure related to the military.

Example: ‘Department of Defense’;

(obsolete) A prohibition; a prohibitory ordinance.

The act of defending, or the state of being defended; protection, as from violence or danger.

Example: ‘In cases of defense 't is best to weighThe enemy more mighty than he seems.’;

That which defends or protects; anything employed to oppose attack, ward off violence or danger, or maintain security; a guard; a protection.

Example: ‘War would arise in defense of the right.’; ‘God, the widow's champion and defense.’;

Protecting plea; vindication; justification.

Example: ‘Men, brethren, and fathers, hear ye my defense.’;

The defendant's answer or plea; an opposing or denial of the truth or validity of the plaintiff's or prosecutor's case; the method of proceeding adopted by the defendant to protect himself against the plaintiff's action.

Act or skill in making defense; defensive plan or policy; practice in self defense, as in fencing, boxing, etc.

Example: ‘A man of great defense.’; ‘By how much defense is better than no skill.’;

Prohibition; a prohibitory ordinance.

Example: ‘Severe defenses . . . against wearing any linen under a certain breadth.’;

To furnish with defenses; to fortify.

Example: ‘Better manned and more strongly defensed.’;

(sports) the team that is trying to prevent the other team from scoring;

Example: ‘his teams are always good on defense’;

military action or resources protecting a country against potential enemies;

Example: ‘they died in the defense of Stalingrad’; ‘they were developed for the defense program’;

the defendant and his legal advisors collectively;

Example: ‘the defense called for a mistrial’;

protection from harm;

Example: ‘sanitation is the best defense against disease’;

a structure used for defense;

Example: ‘the artillery battered down the defenses’;

the speech act of answering an attack on your assertions;

Example: ‘his refutation of the charges was short and persuasive’; ‘in defense he said the other man started it’;

the justification for some act or belief;

Example: ‘he offered a persuasive defense of the theory’;

a defendant's answer or plea denying the truth of the charges against him;

Example: ‘he gave evidence for the defense’;

an organization of defenders that provides resistance against attack;

Example: ‘he joined the defense against invasion’;

the federal department responsible for safeguarding national security of the UnitedStates; created in 1947

(psychiatry) an unconscious process that tries to reduce the anxiety associated with instinctive desires

(transitive) To ward off attacks against; to fight to protect; to guard.

(transitive) To support by words or writing; to vindicate, talk in favour of.

To make legal defence of; to represent (the accused).

(sports) To focus one's energies and talents on preventing opponents from scoring, as opposed to focusing on scoring.

(sports) To attempt to retain a title, or attempt to reach the same stage in a competition as one did in the previous edition of that competition.

(poker slang) To call a raise from the big blind.

To ward off, repel (an attack or attacker).

To prevent, to keep (from doing something).

To prohibit, forbid.

To ward or fend off; to drive back or away; to repel.

Example: ‘Th' other strove for to defendThe force of Vulcan with his might and main.’;

To prohibit; to forbid.

Example: ‘Which God defend that I should wring from him.’;

To repel danger or harm from; to protect; to secure against attack; to maintain against force or argument; to uphold; to guard; as, to defend a town; to defend a cause; to defend character; to defend the absent; - sometimes followed by from or against; as, to defend one's self from, or against, one's enemies.

Example: ‘The lord mayor craves aid . . . to defend the city.’; ‘God defend the right!’; ‘A village near it was defended by the river.’;

To deny the right of the plaintiff in regard to (the suit, or the wrong charged); to oppose or resist, as a claim at law; to contest, as a suit.

Example: ‘As birds flying, so will the Lord of hosts defend Jerusalem; defending also he will deliver it.’; ‘Leave not the faithful sideThat gave thee being, still shades thee and protects.’;

argue or speak in defense of;

Example: ‘She supported the motion to strike’;

be on the defensive; act against an attack

protect against a challenge or attack;

Example: ‘Hold that position behind the trees!’; ‘Hold the bridge against the enemy's attacks’;

fight against or resist strongly;

Example: ‘The senator said he would oppose the bill’; ‘Don't fight it!’;

protect or fight for as a champion

be the defense counsel for someone in a trial;

Example: ‘Ms. Smith will represent the defendant’;

state or assert;

Example: ‘He maintained his innocence’;