The meaning of Defence

determiner

Used when referring to someone or something for the first time in a text or conversation.

Usage examples:

A man came out of the room

abbreviation

(in travel timetables) arrives.

Usage examples:

Penzance a 0915

symbol

(in units of measurement) atto- (10−18).

noun

Public support for or recommendation of a particular cause or policy.

Usage examples:

His outspoken advocacy of the agreement has won no friends

noun

Public support of an idea, plan, or way of doing something

Usage examples:

An advocacy group/organization he got a reminder from the business advocacy group that he should be…

noun

A claim or piece of evidence that one was elsewhere when an act, especially a criminal one, is alleged to have taken place.

Usage examples:

She has an alibi for the whole of yesterday evening

verb

A claim or piece of evidence that one was elsewhere when an act, typically a criminal one, is alleged to have taken place.

Usage examples:

She has an alibi for the whole of yesterday evening

noun

Proof that someone who is thought to have committed a crime could not have done it, esp. the fact or claim that the person was in another place at the time the crime happened

Usage examples:

You’re late again – what’s your alibi this time?

noun

A regretful acknowledgement of an offence or failure.

Usage examples:

We owe you an apology

noun

An act of saying that you are sorry

Usage examples:

I have an apology to make to you – i opened your letter by mistake., he owes me an apology (= he sh…

noun

The act of saying sorry or a message that says sorry

Usage examples:

An apology and a refund are being sent to the customer., issue/make an apology the hotel has issued…

noun

The action of approving something.

Usage examples:

The road schemes have been given approval

noun

An instance of a particular situation; an example of something occurring.

Usage examples:

A case of mistaken identity

verb

Surround in a material or substance.

Usage examples:

The towers are of steel cased in granite

noun

A particular situation or example of something

Usage examples:

We don’t normally accept credits from courses taken at another university, but we’ll make an except…

verb

Put something on top of or in front of (something), especially in order to protect or conceal it.

Usage examples:

The table had been covered with a checked tablecloth

noun

A thing which lies on, over, or around something, especially in order to protect or conceal it.

Usage examples:

A seat cover

verb

To put or spread something over something, or to lie on the surface of something

Usage examples:

Once the rice comes to a boil, turn down the flame and cover the pot., she covered the child with a…

noun

A formal or explicit statement or announcement.

Usage examples:

A declaration of love

noun

An official, public, usually written statement

Usage examples:

A customs declaration, a declaration of principles, the american declaration of independence

noun

An official or public statement about something, or the act of making a statement

Usage examples:

Make/sign a declaration the board made a public declaration of support for its chairman., the ilo's…

noun

The action of denying something.

Usage examples:

She shook her head in denial

noun

A statement that something is not true

Usage examples:

His statement is not a denial., planning staff recommended denial of the project., he claims he’s n…

noun

A thing that discourages or is intended to discourage someone from doing something.

Usage examples:

Cameras are a major deterrent to crime

adjective

Able or intended to deter.

Usage examples:

The deterrent effect of heavy prison sentences

noun

Something that deters people from doing something

Usage examples:

A nuclear deterrent, tougher prison sentences may act/serve as a deterrent to other would-be offend…

noun

The action of endorsing someone or something.

Usage examples:

The issue of full independence received overwhelming endorsement

noun

The act of making a public statement of your support for something or someone

Usage examples:

[ u ] both candidates have been seeking the union’s endorsement., [ c ] some athletes get contracts…

noun

A statement made by someone in an advertisement, especially a well-known person, saying that they use and like a particular product

Usage examples:

The company is considering other marketing tactics like celebrity endorsement and using cartoon cha…

verb

Seek to lessen the blame attaching to (a fault or offence); try to justify.

Usage examples:

He did nothing to hide or excuse jacob's cruelty

noun

A reason or explanation given to justify a fault or offence.

Usage examples:

There can be no excuse for any further delay

verb

To forgive someone

Usage examples:

Please excuse me for being so late – there was a lot of traffic., it was hard to excuse him for tre…

noun

A statement or account that makes something clear.

Usage examples:

The birth rate is central to any explanation of population trends

noun

The details or other information that someone gives to make something clear or easy to understand

Usage examples:

[ c ] she gave a detailed explanation of the administration’s health-care proposal., [ c ] he had n…

noun

A defensive wall or other reinforcement built to strengthen a place against attack.

Usage examples:

The building and maintenance of fortifications

noun

The act of strengthening something, esp. in order to protect it

Usage examples:

[ u ] i had a cup of tea as fortification for the afternoon’s work., [ usually pl ] those towers we…

verb

Watch over in order to protect or control.

Usage examples:

Two men were left to guard the stockade

noun

A person who keeps watch, especially a soldier or other person assigned to protect a person or to control access to a place.

Usage examples:

A security guard

noun

A device worn or fitted to prevent injury or damage.

Usage examples:

A retractable blade guard

noun

The action of showing something to be right or reasonable.

Usage examples:

The justification of revolutionary action

noun

A good reason or explanation for something

Usage examples:

There is no justification for treating people so badly., it can be said, with some justification, t…

noun

The action of reducing the severity, seriousness, or painfulness of something.

Usage examples:

The identification and mitigation of pollution

noun

A reduction in how harmful, unpleasant, or bad something is

Usage examples:

Mitigation of sth the planning process should have addressed mitigation of damage to the environmen…

noun

A request made in an urgent and emotional manner.

Usage examples:

He made a dramatic plea for disarmament

noun

The action of making an emotional or earnest appeal to someone.

Usage examples:

He ignored her pleading

adjective

Making an emotional appeal.

Usage examples:

He gave her a pleading look

verb

Make an emotional appeal.

Usage examples:

She pleaded with them not to gag the boy

noun

Activity that supports or encourages a cause, venture, or aim.

Usage examples:

The promotion of cultural and racial diversity

noun

The advancement of someone to a more important rank or position

Usage examples:

[ c/u ] she’s been recommended for a promotion.

noun

The process or fact of giving someone a higher or more important job

Usage examples:

Employees worry that saying 'no' to the boss decreases their chances of advancement and promotion.,…

noun

The action of protecting, or the state of being protected.

Usage examples:

The b vitamins give protection against infection

noun

The condition or state of being kept safe from injury, damage, or loss

Usage examples:

[ u ] their tent offered little protection against the storm., [ c ] the proposed law is intended t…

noun

The act of keeping someone or something safe from injury, damage, or loss, or the state of being protected in this way

Usage examples:

We need protection from bad or incompetent doctors., retailers believe the magnetic cards give the …

noun

The action of attempting to explain or justify behaviour or an attitude with logical reasons, even if these are not appropriate.

Usage examples:

Most people are prone to self-deceptive rationalization

noun

An attempt to find reasons for behaviour, decisions, etc., especially your own

Usage examples:

This is just a convenient rationalization for something you wanted to do anyway., entitlement may i…

noun

A cause, explanation, or justification for an action or event.

Usage examples:

She asked him to return, but didn't give a reason

verb

Think, understand, and form judgements logically.

Usage examples:

Humans do not reason entirely from facts

noun

An instance of rebutting evidence or an accusation.

Usage examples:

My post below, about architecture was never designed as evidence for the rebuttal.

noun

A statement that a claim or criticism is not true

Usage examples:

She issued a rebuttal of the charges.

noun

A statement that says or proves that something is not true

Usage examples:

She says she is preparing a point-by-point rebuttal that will address these issues.

noun

The refusal to accept or comply with something.

Usage examples:

They displayed a narrow-minded resistance to change

noun

Resistance is the degree to which a substance prevents the flow of electricity through it

Usage examples:

Copper has low resistance.

noun

A situation in which people or organizations fight against something or refuse to accept or be changed by something

Usage examples:

Resistance to sth the government faces resistance to the bill., there should be no resistance to th…

verb

Protect from harm or damage with an appropriate measure.

Usage examples:

A framework which safeguards employees from exploitation

noun

A measure taken to protect someone or something or to prevent something undesirable.

Usage examples:

The charity called for tougher safeguards to protect britain's remaining natural forests

noun

A fixed or movable upright partition used to divide a room, give shelter from draughts, heat, or light, or to provide concealment or privacy.

Usage examples:

The special branch man remained hidden behind the screen for prosecution witnesses

verb

Conceal, protect, or shelter (someone or something) with a screen or something forming a screen.

Usage examples:

Her hair swung across to screen her face

noun

A flat surface in a theater, on a television, or on a computer system on which pictures or words are shown

Usage examples:

I spend most of the day working in front of a computer screen., her ambition is to write for the sc…

noun

The state of being free from danger or threat.

Usage examples:

The system is designed to provide maximum security against toxic spills

noun

Freedom from risk and the threat of change for the worse

Usage examples:

Financial/job security, for security reasons, for the protection of the white house and the preside…

noun

The protection of people, organizations, countries, etc. against a possible attack or other crime

Usage examples:

Border/homeland/national security, boost/improve/tighten security airport security has been tighten…

noun

A place giving temporary protection from bad weather or danger.

Usage examples:

Huts like this are used as a shelter during the winter

verb

Protect or shield from something harmful, especially bad weather.

Usage examples:

The hut sheltered him from the cold wind

noun

Something that gives protection, such as a building or tent, or the protection provided

Usage examples:

[ c ] we took the stray dog to an animal shelter., [ u ] the wall gave us some shelter from the win…

verb

Protect from a danger, risk, or unpleasant experience.

Usage examples:

He pulled the cap lower to shield his eyes from the glare

noun

A broad piece of metal or another suitable material, held by straps or a handle attached on one side, used as a protection against blows or missiles.

Usage examples:

Patrick whipped out his new shield and the shield defended against the blow.

noun

A person or thing providing protection.

Usage examples:

A coating of grease provides a shield against abrasive dirt

verb

Bear all or part of the weight of; hold up.

Usage examples:

The dome was supported by a hundred white columns

noun

A thing that bears the weight of something or keeps it upright.

Usage examples:

The best support for a camera is a tripod

verb

The act of bearing the weight of or strengthening

noun

A formal written or spoken statement, especially one given in a court of law.

Usage examples:

The testimony of an eyewitness

noun

A spoken or written statement that something is true, esp. one given in a court of law, or the act of giving such a statement

Usage examples:

[ u ] the value of their testimony is questionable.

noun

A formal statement about something, especially one given in a court of law

Usage examples:

To give/present/provide testimony, the court heard two days of testimony from environmental experts…

noun

The action of clearing someone of blame or suspicion.

Usage examples:

I intend to work to ensure my full vindication