defence
Concise Oxford English Dictionary © 2008 Oxford University Press:
defence /dɪˈfens/ (US defense)
▶noun
- 1 the action of defending from or resisting attack.
■ military measures or resources for protecting a country.
■ (often defences) a means of protecting something from attack.
- 2 the case presented by or on behalf of the party being accused or sued in a lawsuit.
■ (the defence) [treated as sing. or pl.] the counsel for the defendant in a lawsuit.
- 3 attempted justification or vindication: he spoke in defence of a disciplined approach.
- 4 (in sport) the action or role of defending one's goal or wicket against the opposition.
■ (the defence) the players in a team who perform a defensive role.
'defence' also found in these Oxford entries:
abatis
- aikido
- air force
- apologia
- apologist
- apology
- avouch
- ba gua
- barbican
- battlement
- breastwork
- CD
- championship
- circle
- civil defence
- Danegeld
- defenceless
- defence mechanism
- defense
- defensive
- denial
- DI
- dig
- D notice
- dyke
- earthwork
- electric eel
- electric ray
- excuse
- fence
- fencible
- flak
- forecheck
- gas mask
- good
- hedgehog
- Martello
- martial arts
- midfield
- militarism
- minister
- MOD
- mound
- muniments
- nematocyst
- noble
- NORAD
- outwork
- palisade
