Defense

Alt. of Defence

To furnish with defenses; to fortify.

the speech act of answering an attack on your assertions; "his refutation of the charges was short and persuasive"; "in defense he said the other man started it"

(psychiatry) an unconscious process that tries to reduce the anxiety associated with instinctive desires

a defendant's answer or plea denying the truth of the charges against them; "he gave evidence for the defense"

a structure used to defend against attack; "the artillery battered down the defenses"