Meaning

(transitive) To ward off attacks against; to fight to protect; to guard..

Definitions by Sense

1. (transitive) To ward off attacks against; to fight to protect; to guard.
2. (transitive) To support by words or writing; to vindicate, talk in favour of.
3. (transitive, law) To make legal defence of; to represent (the accused).
4. (sports) To focus one's energies and talents on preventing opponents from scoring, as opposed to focusing on scoring.
5. (cricket) Mostly in tests. The action of not putting force into hitting a shot, but to conserve energy and wear down bowlers so they can attack later.
6. (sports) To attempt to retain a title, or attempt to reach the same stage in a competition as one did in the previous instance of that competition.
7. (poker slang) To call a raise from the big blind.
8. (transitive, obsolete) To ward off, repel (an attack or attacker).

Example Sentences

Most Zionists hoped for a state of their own, but early in the 20th century, writers like Hillel Solotaroff and Chaim Zhitlowsky, both Yiddish-speaking immigrant intellectuals in New York, imagined another alternative: a federation of self-governing anarchist communes in Palestine that would defend Jewish life without relying on state power.

Justice Elena Kagan on Thursday defended the code of conduct the Supreme Court created last year, but conceded there needs to be a way to enforce the rules for it to be more effective.

Philip Miles, defending, said: "This was a single instance, there was no allegation of continuing behaviour over a long period of time."

The teams strategy was to defend but score runs as well for the first 20 overs.

The vertue is, that neither steele, nor stone The stroke thereof from entrance may defend[…].

Broder said sir launcelot wete ye wel I am ful lothe to departe oute of this realme but the quene hath defended me soo hyhely that me semeth she wille neuer be my good lady as she hath ben

Word Forms

• defends
• defending
• defended
• no-table-tags
• glossary
• defend
• defendest
• defendedst
• defendeth
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Synonyms for defend

Antonyms for defend

Related Words

When Should You Use Defend?

Use defend when its meaning, tone and grammar fit the full sentence. A synonym is not always a direct replacement.

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