Merriam-Webster Collegiate Dictionary - defense

 I. noun  Etymology: Middle English, from Anglo-French, from Late Latin defensa vengeance, from Latin, feminine of defensus, past participle of defendere  Date: 14th century  1.  a. the act or action of defending the ~ of our country speak out in ~ of justice  b. a defendant's denial, answer, or plea  2.  a. capability of resisting attack  b. defensive play or ability a player known for good ~  3.  a. means or method of defending or protecting oneself, one's team, or another; also a defensive structure  b. an argument in support or justification  c. the collected facts and method adopted by a defendant to protect and defend against a plaintiff's action  d. a sequence of moves available in chess to the second player in the opening  4.  a. a defending party or group (as in a court of law) the ~ rests  b. a defensive team  5. the military and industrial aggregate that authorizes and supervises arms production appropriations for ~ ~ contract  • ~less adjective  • ~lessly adverb  • ~lessness noun  II. transitive verb  (~d; defensing)  Date: 1950 to take specific defensive action against (an opposing team or player or an offensive play)