Library / English Dictionary

DEFEND

Pronunciation (US):

(GB):

 I. (verb) 

Sense 1

Meaning:

Argue or speak in defense of

Example:

She supported the motion to strike

Synonyms:

defend; fend for; support

Classified under:

Verbs of telling, asking, ordering, singing

Hypernyms (to "defend" is one way to...):

argue; reason (present reasons and arguments)

Troponyms (each of the following is one way to "defend"):

apologise; apologize; excuse; rationalise; rationalize (defend, explain, clear away, or make excuses for by reasoning)

take sides with; take someone's side (support someone (as in an argument))

stand up; stick up (defend against attack or criticism)

uphold (stand up for; stick up for; of causes, principles, or ideals)

Sentence frames:

Somebody ----s something
Somebody ----s somebody
Something ----s somebody
Something ----s something

Derivation:

defence (the justification for some act or belief)

defender (a person who cares for persons or property)

Sense 2

Meaning:

State or assert

Example:

He maintained his innocence

Synonyms:

defend; maintain

Classified under:

Verbs of telling, asking, ordering, singing

Hypernyms (to "defend" is one way to...):

affirm (say yes to)

Troponyms (each of the following is one way to "defend"):

vindicate (maintain, uphold, or defend)

Sentence frames:

Somebody ----s something
Somebody ----s that CLAUSE

Derivation:

defensible (capable of being defended)

defensive (attempting to justify or defend in speech or writing)

Sense 3

Meaning:

Fight against or resist strongly

Example:

Don't fight it!

Synonyms:

defend; fight; fight back; fight down; oppose

Classified under:

Verbs of fighting, athletic activities

Hypernyms (to "defend" is one way to...):

contend; fight; struggle (be engaged in a fight; carry on a fight)

Troponyms (each of the following is one way to "defend"):

recalcitrate (show strong objection or repugnance; manifest vigorous opposition or resistance; be obstinately disobedient)

fend; resist; stand (withstand the force of something)

hold out; resist; stand firm; withstand (stand up or offer resistance to somebody or something)

drive back; fight off; rebuff; repel; repulse (force or drive back)

Sentence frames:

Somebody ----s
Somebody ----s something
Somebody ----s somebody

Derivation:

defensive (attempting to justify or defend in speech or writing)

Sense 4

Meaning:

Be on the defensive; act against an attack

Classified under:

Verbs of fighting, athletic activities

Hypernyms (to "defend" is one way to...):

keep; prevent (stop (someone or something) from doing something or being in a certain state)

"Defend" entails doing...:

contend; fight; struggle (be engaged in a fight; carry on a fight)

Troponyms (each of the following is one way to "defend"):

bulwark (defend with a bulwark)

protect (shield from danger, injury, destruction, or damage)

ward off (avert, turn away, or repel)

arrest; check; contain; hold back; stop; turn back (hold back, as of a danger or an enemy; check the expansion or influence of)

Sentence frames:

Somebody ----s something
Somebody ----s somebody

Antonym:

attack (launch an attack or assault on; begin hostilities or start warfare with)

Derivation:

defence ((sports) the team that is trying to prevent the other team from scoring)

defensible (capable of being defended)

defensive (intended or appropriate for defending against or deterring aggression or attack)

Sense 5

Meaning:

Protect against a challenge or attack

Example:

Hold the bridge against the enemy's attacks

Synonyms:

defend; guard; hold

Classified under:

Verbs of fighting, athletic activities

Hypernyms (to "defend" is one way to...):

protect (shield from danger, injury, destruction, or damage)

Verb group:

hold (take and maintain control over, often by violent means)

Sentence frame:

Somebody ----s something

Derivation:

defensive (intended or appropriate for defending against or deterring aggression or attack)

defensible (capable of being defended)

defender (a person who cares for persons or property)

defence (an organization of defenders that provides resistance against attack)

Sense 6

Meaning:

Protect or fight for as a champion

Synonyms:

champion; defend

Classified under:

Verbs of fighting, athletic activities

Hypernyms (to "defend" is one way to...):

back; endorse; indorse; plump for; plunk for; support (be behind; approve of)

Sentence frames:

Somebody ----s something
Somebody ----s somebody

Derivation:

defender (a person who cares for persons or property)

defensible (capable of being defended)

Sense 7

Meaning:

Be the defense counsel for someone in a trial

Example:

Ms. Smith will represent the defendant

Synonyms:

defend; represent

Classified under:

Verbs of political and social activities and events

Sentence frames:

Somebody ----s something
Somebody ----s somebody

Sentence example:

They want to defend the prisoners

Antonym:

prosecute (bring a criminal action against (in a trial))

Derivation:

defence (the defendant and his legal advisors collectively)

defendant (a person or institution against whom an action is brought in a court of law; the person being sued or accused)

Credits

 Context examples: 

Your immune system is a complex network of cells, tissues, and organs that work together to defend against germs.

(Immune System and Disorders, NIH: National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases)

The complex group of organs and cells that defends the body against infection or disease.

(Immune system, NCI Dictionary)

Lymph is a fluid that contains white blood cells that defend against germs.

(Lymphedema, NIH: National Cancer Institute)

Life, although it may only be an accumulation of anguish, is dear to me, and I will defend it.

(Frankenstein, by Mary Wollstonecraft Shelley)

I have seen Frenchmen fight both in open field, in the intaking and the defending of towns or castlewicks, in escalados, camisades, night forays, bushments, sallies, outfalls, and knightly spear-runnings.

(The White Company, by Sir Arthur Conan Doyle)

If they none of them go, well then, we hold the cabin, and God defend the right.

(Treasure Island, by Robert Louis Stevenson)

The complex group of organs like thymus, spleen, tonsils, lymphatic system, hematopoetic system and cells like lymphocytes, granulocytes, monocytes and macrophages that defends the body against infection or disease.

(Immune system, NCI Thesaurus)

It also supplies the tissues with nutrients, removes waste products, and contains various components of the immune system defending the body against infection.

(Blood, NCI Thesaurus)

The research reveals that the ability of a young organism to defend against repeated environmental stress may be an empty victory, because the animal may not live as long.

(Defending against environmental stressors may shorten lifespan, National Institutes of Health)

Our current understanding of how plants successfully defend against disease-causing pathogens mainly originates from studying economically important crop plants and a small number of closely-related flowering plant model systems.

(Ancient defence strategy continues to protect plants from pathogens, University of Cambridge)