Dictionary entry details
• DEFENCE (noun)
Meaning:
(psychiatry) an unconscious process that tries to reduce the anxiety associated with instinctive desires
Classified under:
Nouns denoting natural processes
Synonyms:
defense mechanism; defence reaction; defence mechanism; defence; defense reaction; defense
Hypernyms ("defence" is a kind of...):
process; unconscious process (a mental process that you are not directly aware of)
psychoanalytic process (a process that is assumed to occur in psychoanalytic theory)
Domain category:
psychiatry; psychological medicine; psychopathology (the branch of medicine dealing with the diagnosis and treatment of mental disorders)
Hyponyms (each of the following is a kind of "defence"):
regression ((psychiatry) a defense mechanism in which you flee from reality by assuming a more infantile state)
reaction formation ((psychiatry) a defense mechanism in which a person unconsciously develops attitudes and behavior that are the opposite of unacceptable repressed desires and impulses and serve to conceal them)
rationalisation; rationalization ((psychiatry) a defense mechanism by which your true motivation is concealed by explaining your actions and feelings in a way that is not threatening)
projection ((psychiatry) a defense mechanism by which your own traits and emotions are attributed to someone else)
isolation ((psychiatry) a defense mechanism in which memory of an unacceptable act or impulse is separated from the emotion originally associated with it)
intellectualisation; intellectualization ((psychiatry) a defense mechanism that uses reasoning to block out emotional stress and conflict)
idealisation; idealization ((psychiatry) a defense mechanism that splits something you are ambivalent about into two representations--one good and one bad)
displacement ((psychiatry) a defense mechanism that transfers affect or reaction from the original object to some more acceptable one)
denial ((psychiatry) a defense mechanism that denies painful thoughts)
conversion ((psychiatry) a defense mechanism represses emotional conflicts which are then converted into physical symptoms that have no organic basis)
compensation ((psychiatry) a defense mechanism that conceals your undesirable shortcomings by exaggerating desirable behaviors)
repression ((psychiatry) the classical defense mechanism that protects you from impulses or ideas that would cause anxiety by preventing them from becoming conscious)
Meaning:
(sports) the team that is trying to prevent the other team from scoring
Classified under:
Nouns denoting groupings of people or objects
Synonyms:
defending team; defense; defence
Context example:
his teams are always good on defense
Hypernyms ("defence" is a kind of...):
squad; team (a cooperative unit)
Domain category:
athletics; sport (an active diversion requiring physical exertion and competition)
Antonym:
offence (the team that has the ball (or puck) and is trying to score)
Meaning:
The defendant and his legal advisors collectively
Classified under:
Nouns denoting groupings of people or objects
Synonyms:
defense team; defense lawyers; defense; defence
Context example:
the defense called for a mistrial
Hypernyms ("defence" is a kind of...):
accumulation; aggregation; assemblage; collection (several things grouped together or considered as a whole)
Meaning:
An organization of defenders that provides resistance against attack
Classified under:
Nouns denoting groupings of people or objects
Synonyms:
defence force; defense force; defence; defense
Context example:
he joined the defense against invasion
Hypernyms ("defence" is a kind of...):
organisation; organization (a group of people who work together)
Hyponyms (each of the following is a kind of "defence"):
bastion (a group that defends a principle)
Meaning:
The speech act of answering an attack on your assertions
Classified under:
Nouns denoting communicative processes and contents
Synonyms:
refutation; defence; defense
Context examples:
his refutation of the charges was short and persuasive / in defense he said the other man started it
Hypernyms ("defence" is a kind of...):
answer (the speech act of replying to a question)
Hyponyms (each of the following is a kind of "defence"):
confutation (the speech act of refuting conclusively)
rebuttal (the speech act of refuting by offering a contrary contention or argument)
Meaning:
The justification for some act or belief
Classified under:
Nouns denoting communicative processes and contents
Synonyms:
vindication; defence; defense
Context example:
he offered a persuasive defense of the theory
Hypernyms ("defence" is a kind of...):
justification (a statement in explanation of some action or belief)
Hyponyms (each of the following is a kind of "defence"):
alibi; exculpation; excuse; self-justification (a defense of some offensive behavior or some failure to keep a promise etc.)
alibi ((law) a defense by an accused person purporting to show that he or she could not have committed the crime in question)
apologia; apology (a formal written defense of something you believe in strongly)
Meaning:
A structure used to defend against attack
Classified under:
Nouns denoting man-made objects
Synonyms:
defensive structure; defense; defence
Context example:
the artillery battered down the defenses
Hypernyms ("defence" is a kind of...):
construction; structure (a thing constructed; a complex entity constructed of many parts)
Hyponyms (each of the following is a kind of "defence"):
cheval-de-frise; chevaux-de-frise (defensive structure consisting of a movable obstacle composed of barbed wire or spikes attached to a wooden frame; used to obstruct cavalry)
fortification; munition (defensive structure consisting of walls or mounds built around a stronghold to strengthen it)
fort; fortress (a fortified defensive structure)
line of defence; line of defense (defensive structure consisting of a barrier that can be employed for defense against attack)
outwork (subsidiary defensive structure lying outside the main fortified area)
fastness; stronghold (a strongly fortified defensive structure)
Meaning:
A defendant's answer or plea denying the truth of the charges against him
Classified under:
Nouns denoting acts or actions
Synonyms:
demurrer; denial; defense; defence
Context example:
he gave evidence for the defense
Hypernyms ("defence" is a kind of...):
due process; due process of law ((law) the administration of justice according to established rules and principles; based on the principle that a person cannot be deprived of life or liberty or property without appropriate legal procedures and safeguards)
Domain category:
jurisprudence; law (the collection of rules imposed by authority)
Hyponyms (each of the following is a kind of "defence"):
entrapment (a defense that claims the defendant would not have broken the law if not tricked into doing it by law enforcement officials)
Holonyms ("defence" is a part of...):
trial ((law) legal proceedings consisting of the judicial examination of issues by a competent tribunal)
Meaning:
Military action or resources protecting a country against potential enemies
Classified under:
Nouns denoting acts or actions
Synonyms:
defensive measure; defense; defence
Context examples:
they died in the defense of Stalingrad / they were developed for the defense program
Hypernyms ("defence" is a kind of...):
action; military action (a military engagement)
Domain category:
armed forces; armed services; military; military machine; war machine (the military forces of a nation)
Hyponyms (each of the following is a kind of "defence"):
umbrella (a formation of military planes maintained over ground operations or targets)
biological warfare defence; biological warfare defense; BW defence; BW defense (defense against biological warfare)
minelaying; mining (laying explosive mines in concealed places to destroy enemy personnel and equipment)
chemical defence; chemical defense (procedures involved in taking defensive measures against attacks using chemical agents)
biodefence; biodefense; biological defence; biological defense (procedures involved in taking defensive measures against attacks using biological agents)
deliberate defence; deliberate defense (a defensive organized before contact is made with the enemy and while time for organization is available; usually includes a fortified zone (with pillboxes) and communication systems)
hasty defence; hasty defense (a defense organized while in contact with the enemy or when time is limited)
stand (a defensive effort)
air defense (defensive measures designed to destroy attacking enemy aircraft or missiles or to nullify their effectiveness)
Meaning:
Protection from harm
Classified under:
Nouns denoting acts or actions
Synonyms:
defense; defence
Context example:
sanitation is the best defense against disease
Hypernyms ("defence" is a kind of...):
protection (the activity of protecting someone or something)
