| English Dictionary |
DEFENCELESS
| Pronunciation (US): |  | (GB): | |
Dictionary entry overview: What does defenceless mean?
• DEFENCELESS (adjective)
The adjective DEFENCELESS has 2 senses:
1. lacking protection or support
2. lacking weapons for self-defense
Familiarity information: DEFENCELESS used as an adjective is rare.
• DEFENCELESS (adverb)
The adverb DEFENCELESS has 1 sense:
1. without defense
Familiarity information: DEFENCELESS used as an adverb is very rare.
Dictionary entry details
Sense 1
Meaning:
Lacking protection or support
Synonyms:
defenceless; defenseless
Context example:
a defenseless child
Similar:
vulnerable (susceptible to attack)
Derivation:
defencelessness (the property of being helpless in the face of attack)
Sense 2
Meaning:
Lacking weapons for self-defense
Synonyms:
defenceless; defenseless
Similar:
unarmed ((used of persons or the military) not having or using arms)
Derivation:
defencelessness (the property of being helpless in the face of attack)
Sense 1
Meaning:
Without defense
Synonyms:
defenceless; defencelessly; defenseless; defenselessly
Context example:
the child was standing in the middle of the crossfire, defenselessly
Pertainym:
defenceless (lacking protection or support)
Context examples
Rasping up on either side, with oars trailing to save them from snapping, they poured in a living torrent with horrid yell and shrill whoop upon the defenceless merchantman.
(The White Company, by Sir Arthur Conan Doyle)
Call to mind that I am a very helpless and defenceless little thing.
(David Copperfield, by Charles Dickens)
As soon as I remembered I was not defenceless, courage glowed again in my heart and I set my face resolutely for this man of the island and walked briskly towards him.
(Treasure Island, by Robert Louis Stevenson)
Silver, agile as a monkey even without leg or crutch, was on the top of him next moment and had twice buried his knife up to the hilt in that defenceless body.
(Treasure Island, by Robert Louis Stevenson)
Peggotty always went to sleep with her chin upon the handle of the basket, her hold of which never relaxed; and I could not have believed unless I had heard her do it, that one defenceless woman could have snored so much.
(David Copperfield, by Charles Dickens)
| Learn English with... Proverbs |
"The way the arrow hits the target is more important than the way it is shot; the way you listen is more important than the way you talk." (Bhutanese proverb)
"If you wish, ask for more." (Arabic proverb)
"Hunger is the best spice." (Czech proverb)