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defence

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defence¹

  • /dɪˈfɛns/ UK

Rhymes with -ɛns

Where it comes from

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

noun defences · defense

  1. UK, countable, uncountable The action of defending, of protecting from attack, danger or injury. In cases of defence ’tis best to weigh The enemy more mighty than he seems:
  2. UK, countable, uncountable Something used to oppose attacks. And nothing ’gainst Time’s scythe can make defence Save breed, to brave him when he takes thee hence.
  3. UK, countable, uncountable An argument in support or justification of something. Speak of my lameness, and I straight will halt, Against thy reasons making no defence.
  4. UK, countable, uncountable A strategy and tactics employed to prevent the other team from scoring; contrasted with offence. But the Danes remained resolute in defence - largely thanks to a spirited display by captain Daniel Agger - and they went ahead with their first meaningful attack.
  5. UK, countable, uncountable The portion of a team dedicated to preventing the other team from scoring; contrasted with offence. The most persistent tormentor was Alex Oxlade-Chamberlain, who scored a hat-trick in last month’s corresponding fixture in Iceland. His ability to run at defences is instantly striking, but it is his clever use of possession that has persuaded some shrewd judges that he is an even better prospect th
  6. UK, countable, uncountable Government policy or (infra)structure related to the military. Department of Defence
  7. UK, countable, obsolete, uncountable 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, […] severe defences may be made against weaving any Linnen under a certain breadth, such as may be of better use to the poorest People […]

Opposite: offence, offense

defence²

  • /dɪˈfɛns/ UK

Rhymes with -ɛns

Where it comes from

From Middle English defencen, defensen, from Old French defenser or its etymon, Latin dēfēnsō.

verb defences · defencing · defenced · defense

  1. UK, obsolete, transitive To furnish with defences; to fortify. Better manned and more strongly defenced.

Thesaurus

Closest in meaning: defense, defence mechanism, vindication, demurrer, defense mechanism, refutation, denial, defence reaction, defending team, defense lawyers, defense reaction, defense team, defensive measure, defensive structure, defend, self-defence

noun

Opposite: offence, offense

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Cite this
MLA

"defence." Wiktionary, via Micwyn, micwyn.com/word/defence. Accessed 6 Nov. 2026.

APA

defence. (n.d.). In Wiktionary, via Micwyn. Retrieved November 6, 2026, from https://micwyn.com/word/defence

Chicago

"defence." Wiktionary, via Micwyn. Accessed November 6, 2026. https://micwyn.com/word/defence.

BibTeX
@misc{defence_2026,
  title = {defence},
  howpublished = {Wiktionary, via Micwyn},
  year = {2026},
  url = {https://micwyn.com/word/defence},
  urldate = {2026-11-06}
}