defense

noun

1. (US, countable, uncountable)The action of defending or protecting from attack, danger, or injury.
2. (US, countable, uncountable)Anything employed to oppose attack(s).
3. (US, countable, uncountable)Anything employed to oppose attack(s).
4. (US, countable, uncountable)An argument in support or justification of something.

   “to come to someone's defense”

5. (US, broadly, countable, uncountable)An argument in support or justification of something.
6. (US, broadly, countable, uncountable)An argument in support or justification of something.
7. (US, countable, euphemistic, uncountable)Government policy or (infra)structure related to the military.

   “Department of Defense”

8. (US, countable, obsolete, uncountable)A prohibition; a prohibitory ordinance.

verb

1. (US)To employ defensive tactics (so as to block).

   “In fact, there is an increase in the effectiveness of the Five Cutter Offense when teams put pressure on, instead of sagging or switching in an attempt to defense the attack successfully.”

   “But the Buffs’ coaching staff made some adjustments in the way they defensed the Heights’ vaunted veer-option offense, and after being bullied around for 271 yards in the first half, yielded only 140 in the second half.”

   ““It was most important to start the second half right,” Tennessee coach Donnie Tyndall said. “They dug in and defensed the right way.””

2. (US, archaic)To furnish with defenses; to defend, protect.

   “In the ſyege of greate cities, takyng a bygge compaſſe rounde abowte, we muſt wyth all laboure: make and intercut not farre of the citie, bꝛode and depe trenches defenſed wyth turrettes of woodde, […]”

   “VVhere being plaſt, vnvviſt of any vvight, / He ſtayde his time, till husband fel on ſleepe, / Then out he gate, defenſt vvith darke of night, / And ſoftly to Salueſtras bed did creepe: […]”

   “The Country of Britain was in old times adorned with 28 Cities, beſide innumerable number of Caſtles defenſed with ſtrong Walls, Towers, Gates and Locks.”