defense
The action of defending or protecting from attack, danger, or injury.
Noun 4 meanings
The action of defending or protecting from attack, danger, or injury.
Anything employed to oppose attack(s).
An argument in support or justification of something.
“to come to someone's defense”
Government policy or (infra)structure related to the military.
“Department of Defense”
Verb 1 meaning
To employ defensive tactics (so as to block).
Etymology
From Middle English defens, defense, from Old French defens, defense, from Late Latin dēfēnsa (“protection”). Displaced native Old English bewering. The verb is from the noun.
Similar and opposite words
DEFENSE at a glance
DEFENSE has 7 letters and scores 11 points in Scrabble (D 2 + E 1 + F 4 + E 1 + N 1 + S 1 + E 1) and 12 in Words With Friends, before board bonuses. It ranks #1,208 by how often it appears in everyday English. It is valid in ENABLE, NWL2023, Collins/SOWPODS.
Rhymes with defense
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