DEFEND

Pronunciation (US):

(GB):

IPA (US):

 Dictionary entry overview: What does defend mean? 

• DEFEND (verb)
  The verb DEFEND has 7 senses:

1. argue or speak in defense of

2. be on the defensive; act against an attack

3. protect against a challenge or attack

4. fight against or resist strongly

5. protect or fight for as a champion

6. be the defense counsel for someone in a trial

7. state or assert

  Familiarity information: DEFEND used as a verb is common.

 Dictionary entry details 

• DEFEND (verb)

Present simple: I / you / we / they defend    ... he / she / it defends   
Past simple: defended   
Past participle: defended   
-ing form: defending   

Sense 1

Meaning:

Argue or speak in defense of

Classified under:

Verbs of telling, asking, ordering, singing

Synonyms:

defend; fend for; support

Context example:

She supported the motion to strike

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:

defender (a person who cares for persons or property)

defence (the justification for some act or belief)

Sense 2

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 3

Meaning:

Protect against a challenge or attack

Classified under:

Verbs of fighting, athletic activities

Synonyms:

defend; guard; hold

Context example:

Hold the bridge against the enemy's attacks

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:

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

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)

Sense 4

Meaning:

Fight against or resist strongly

Classified under:

Verbs of fighting, athletic activities

Synonyms:

defend; fight; fight back; fight down; oppose

Context example:

Don't fight it!

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 5

Meaning:

Protect or fight for as a champion

Classified under:

Verbs of fighting, athletic activities

Synonyms:

champion; defend

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 6

Meaning:

Be the defense counsel for someone in a trial

Classified under:

Verbs of political and social activities and events

Synonyms:

defend; represent

Context example:

Ms. Smith will represent the defendant

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)

Sense 7

Meaning:

State or assert

Classified under:

Verbs of telling, asking, ordering, singing

Synonyms:

defend; maintain

Context example:

He maintained his innocence

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)

 Context examples 

If you are in graduate school, you could be ready to defend your thesis.

(AstrologyZone.com, by Susan Miller)

I must then hire another to defend my right, it being against all rules of law that any man should be allowed to speak for himself.

(Gulliver's Travels into several remote nations of the world, by Jonathan Swift)

Saleeby and Haeckel indorsed and defended "The Shame of the Sun," for once finding themselves on the same side of a question.

(Martin Eden, by Jack London)

“Could I defend my conduct if I did not, sir?” I returned, with all humility.

(David Copperfield, by Charles Dickens)

Each time that his teeth struck they sank easily into the yielding flesh, while the animal did not seem able to defend itself.

(White Fang, by Jack London)

He never rushed till he was prepared to receive a rush; never attacked till he had first defended that attack.

(The Call of the Wild, by Jack London)

One of the latter knocked off the man’s hat, on which he raised his stick to defend himself and, swinging it over his head, smashed the shop window behind him.

(The Adventures of Sherlock Holmes, by Sir Arthur Conan Doyle)

They tore up trees in their sore need, and defended themselves with them, but all that is to no purpose when a man like myself comes, who can kill seven at one blow.

(Fairy Tales, by The Brothers Grimm)

Given their estimated life span, today’s finches are not likely to be the same birds that had originally developed the response to defend themselves from predators.

(A decade after the predators have gone, Galapagos Island finches are still being spooked, University of Cambridge)

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

(Immune System Part, NCI Thesaurus)