defense

Reading level: hard

Estimated CEFR level: B2 — Upper-Intermediate

Estimated from word frequency; not an official CEFR classification.

Definition

  1. noun (military) military action or resources protecting a country against potential enemies
  2. noun protection from harm
  3. noun (sports) the team that is trying to prevent the other team from scoring

Etymology

From Middle English defens, defense, from Old French defens, defense, from Late Latin dēfēnsa (“protection”). Displaced native Old English bewering. The verb is from the noun.

In classic literature

Synonyms

defence, defensive measure

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