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defence

English

Alternative forms

defense (US)

Pronunciation

(Received Pronunciation) IPA^(key): /dɪˈfɛns/
- Audio (Southern England): (file)
Rhymes: -ɛns

Etymology 1

From Middle English defens, defense, from Old French defens, defense, from Late Latin dēfēnsa (“protection”). Displaced native Old English bewering.

Noun

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

The action of defending, of protecting from attack, danger or injury.
- 1599 (date written), 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:
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.
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.
(team sports) A strategy and tactics employed to prevent the other team from scoring; contrasted with offence.
(team sports) The portion of a team dedicated to preventing the other team from scoring; contrasted with offence.
Government policy or (infra)structure related to the military.
Department of Defence
(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

Translations

defence — see defense

Etymology 2

From Middle English defencen, defensen, from Old French defenser^[1] or its etymon, Latin dēfēnsō.^[2]

Verb

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

(obsolete, transitive) To furnish with defences; to fortify.
- 1656, John Hales, Dixi Custodiam:
  Better manned and more strongly defenced.

References

^ “dēfensen, v.”, in MED Online, Ann Arbor, Mich.: University of Michigan, 2007.
^ “defence | defense, v.”, in OED Online ⁠, Oxford, Oxfordshire: Oxford University Press, launched 2000.

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