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4 N‑COUNT A defence is something that people or animals can use or do to protect themselves. □ [+ against ] The immune system is our main defence against disease.

5 N‑COUNT [oft in N ] A defence is something that you say or write which supports ideas or actions that have been criticized or questioned. □ [+ of ] Chomsky's defence of his approach goes further.

6 N‑COUNT [oft with poss] In a court of law, an accused person's defence is the process of presenting evidence in their favour. □  He has insisted on conducting his own defence.

7 N‑SING The defence is the case that is presented by a lawyer in a trial for the person who has been accused of a crime. You can also refer to this person's lawyers as the defence . □  The defence was that the records of the interviews were fabricated by the police.

8 N‑SING [with sing or pl verb, oft poss N , oft in N ] In games such as football or hockey, the defence is the group of players in a team who try to stop the opposing players scoring a goal or a point. □  Their defence, so strong last season, has now conceded 12 goals in six games. □  I still prefer to play in defence.

9 PHRASE If you come to someone's defence , you help them by doing or saying something to protect them. □  He realized none of his schoolmates would come to his defense. COLLOCATIONS defence NOUN

5

adjective + defence : passionate, spirited, successful, vigorous

verb + defence : launch, mount

7

adjective + defence : credible, robust, solid

de|fence|less /d I fe nsləs/ in AM, use defenseless ADJ If someone or something is defenceless , they are weak and unable to defend themselves properly. □  …a savage attack on a defenceless young girl.

de|fe nce mecha|nism (defence mechanisms ) N‑COUNT A defence mechanism is a way of behaving or thinking which is not conscious or deliberate and is an automatic reaction to unpleasant experiences or feelings such as anxiety and fear.

de|fend ◆◆◇ /d I fe nd/ (defends , defending , defended )

1 VERB If you defend someone or something, you take action in order to protect them. □ [V n] His courage in defending religious and civil rights inspired many outside the church. [Also V n against n]

2 VERB If you defend someone or something when they have been criticized, you argue in support of them. □ [V n] Matt defended all of Clarence's decisions, right or wrong. [Also V pron-refl]

3 VERB When a lawyer defends a person who has been accused of something, the lawyer argues on their behalf in a court of law that the charges are not true. □ [V n] …a lawyer who defended political prisoners during the military regime. □ [V n + against ] He has hired a lawyer to defend him against the allegations. □ [V ] Guy Powell, defending, told magistrates: 'It's a sad and disturbing case.'

4 VERB When a sports player plays in the tournament which they won the previous time it was held, you can say that they are defending their title. [JOURNALISM ] □ [V n] The reigning champion expects to defend her title successfully next year. SYNONYMS defend VERB 1

protect:So, what can women do to protect themselves from heart disease?

guard:Gunmen guarded homes near the cemetery with shotguns.

shield:He shielded his head from the sun with an old sack.

safeguard:The interests of minorities will have to be safeguarded under a new constitution.

de|fend|ant /d I fe ndənt/ (defendants ) N‑COUNT A defendant is a person who has been accused of breaking the law and is being tried in court.

de|fend|er /d I fe ndə ^r / (defenders )