51�Թ�

resistance against danger, attack, or harm; protection

a person or thing that provides such resistance

a plea, essay, speech, etc, in support of something; vindication; justification

law a defendant's denial of the truth of the allegations or charge against him

law the defendant and his legal advisers collectively Compare prosecution

sport

1. the action of protecting oneself, one's goal, or one's allotted part of the playing area against an opponent's attacks

2. the method of doing this

3. the players in a team whose function is to do this

American football (usually preceded by the)

1. the team that does not have possession of the ball

2. the members of a team that play in such circumstances

psychoanal See defence mechanism

(plural) fortifications