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# defence

«defence» in Mova's school dictionary: **protecting yourself or something against attack or danger** — its meaning for a pupil, its sense in the lessons and examples, with 5 sentences of Mova's corpora that use it.

### part of speech

noun (defence, defences); American spelling «defense»

### meaning for a pupil

1) Defence is protecting yourself or something against attack or danger. [tree →](https://md.mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/dictionaries/school/D/defence/#m1)

2) In sports, the defence is the players who try to stop the other team scoring. [tree →](https://md.mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/dictionaries/school/D/defence/#m2)

3) A defence is something said to support a person who is blamed or accused, as in court. [tree →](https://md.mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/dictionaries/school/D/defence/#m3)

4) Defences are walls, armies or other things that protect a place. [tree →](https://md.mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/dictionaries/school/D/defence/#m4)

### sense in the lessons

In history lessons, castles had defences like moats and walls. In science, the body's defences fight germs. In PE, defence is stopping goals. In stories it is standing up for someone. Phrases: «in defence of», «self-defence», «the defence», «sea defences».

### examples

- The castle's defences included a moat and high walls. [tree →](https://md.mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/dictionaries/school/D/defence/#x1)
- She spoke up in defence of her friend. [tree →](https://md.mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/dictionaries/school/D/defence/#x2)
- Our team's defence was very strong. [tree →](https://md.mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/dictionaries/school/D/defence/#x3)
- The skin is the body's first defence against germs. [tree →](https://md.mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/dictionaries/school/D/defence/#x4)
- Sea defences protect the town from floods. [tree →](https://md.mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/dictionaries/school/D/defence/#x5)
- He learned self-defence at a club. [tree →](https://md.mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/dictionaries/school/D/defence/#x6)
- A hedgehog's spines are its defence. [tree →](https://md.mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/dictionaries/school/D/defence/#x7)
- On being brought into court she was ready with her defence. [tree →](https://md.mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/dictionaries/school/D/defence/#x8)

### note

British, Irish, Australian and NZ spelling is «defence»; American is «defense» (Canada often uses «defence»). Verb: «defend». Opposite: «attack», «offence». In sports, «defense» in American English is often said «DEE-fence». Not a number word.

### In the corpora

- [AI can make realistic fake photos of real people, and checking trusted news before forwarding is the best defence.](https://md.mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/school/arts/36-ai-pictures-and-ai-music-as-reported/14/)
- [The blue tang has a sharp spine near its tail that it uses like a scalpel for defence.](https://md.mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/school/biology/90-aquarium-the-coral-reef-tank/7/)
- [Stink bugs release bad-smelling chemicals when disturbed, and smells work well as defences because predators learn quickly.](https://md.mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/school/biology/248-defences-skunks-porcupines-hedgehogs-and-armour/12/)
- [That was self-defence: getting away from someone who is hurting you, and getting help.](https://md.mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/school/everyday/377-self-defence-or-just-stupid/2/)
- [Jake, on the other hand, told the head he had hit a boy «in self-defence».](https://md.mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/school/everyday/377-self-defence-or-just-stupid/5/)

### Trees and pragmatics

[Every meaning and example of «defence» parsed by Mova](https://md.mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/dictionaries/school/D/defence/), each sentence with its dependency tree and frames.