defence

English

Alternative forms

• defense (US)

Etymology

From Middle English defens, defense, from Old French defens, defense, from Latin dēfensa (“protection”).

Pronunciation

• (Received Pronunciation) IPA^(key): /dɪˈfɛns/

  • Audio (Southern England)

    (file)

• Rhymes: -ɛns

Noun

defence (countable and uncountable, plural defences) (British spelling)

1. The action of defending, of protecting from attack, danger or injury.
   • 1599, William Shakespeare, “The Life of Henry the Fift”, in Mr. William Shakespeares Comedies, Histories, & Tragedies […] (First Folio), London: […] Isaac Iaggard, and Ed[ward] Blount, published 1623, →OCLC, [Act II, scene iv]:

     In cases of defence ’tis best to weigh
     The enemy more mighty than he seems:

2. Something used to oppose attacks.
   • 1609, William Shakespeare, “Sonnet 12”, in Shake-speares Sonnets. […], London: By G[eorge] Eld for T[homas] T[horpe] and are to be sold by William Aspley, →OCLC:

     And nothing ’gainst Time’s scythe can make defence
     Save breed, to brave him when he takes thee hence.

3. An argument in support or justification of something.
   • 1609, William Shakespeare, “Sonnet 89”, in Shake-speares Sonnets. […], London: By G[eorge] Eld for T[homas] T[horpe] and are to be sold by William Aspley, →OCLC:

     Speak of my lameness, and I straight will halt,
     Against thy reasons making no defence.

   • 2016 June 11, Phil McNulty, “England 1-1 Russia”, in BBC Sport‎^[1]:

     In Hodgson's defence, it must be stated that in large parts this was a vibrant, energetic performance with the emphasis almost exclusively on attack.

4. (team sports) A strategy and tactics employed to prevent the other team from scoring; contrasted with offence.
5. (team sports) The portion of a team dedicated to preventing the other team from scoring; contrasted with offence.
6. Government policy or (infra)structure related to the military.

   Department of Defence

7. (obsolete) Prohibition; a prohibitory ordinance.
   • 1673, William Temple, “An Essay upon the Advancement of Trade in Ireland” in Miscellanea, London: Edw[ard] Gellibrand, 1680, p. 116,^[2]

     […] severe defences may be made against weaving any Linnen under a certain breadth, such as may be of better use to the poorest People […]

Usage notes

The noun spelling is mainly used in the UK, Australia, Canada, Ireland, and New Zealand; defense is more commonly used in the USA.

Synonyms

• See Thesaurus:defence

Antonyms

• offence (Commonwealth), offense (US)

Derived terms

• antidefence, antidefense
• attack is the best form of defence
• civil defence
• defence accord
• defence diplomacy
• defence in depth
• defence lawyer
• defenceless, defenseless
• defence mechanism, defense mechanism
• defensive
• defensiveness
• eco-defence
• ecodefence, ecodefense
• goal defence
• home defence
• millionaire's defence
• Nuremberg defence, Nuremberg defense
• Pac-Man defence
• personal defence weapon
• point defence
• Portsmouth defence
• preemptive self-defence
• rush defence
• self-defence
• space defence
• spring to somebody's defence
• the best defence is attack
• tower defence
• Twinkie defence
• wing defence

 

Translations

defence — see defense

Verb

defence (third-person singular simple present defences, present participle defencing, simple past and past participle defenced)

1. (obsolete, transitive) To furnish with defences; to fortify.
   • 1656, John Hales, Dixi Custodiam:

     Better manned and more strongly defenced.