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defend
/dɪˈfɛnd/
protect from harm
She defended her thesis in front of the committee.
She successfully argued for her academic work to be accepted.
general
To protect someone or something from attack, danger, or harm.
The lawyer will defend the accused in court.
The lawyer will argue to protect the accused person's rights.
Plants defend themselves with thorns.
Plants use thorns as a natural protection against animals.
Can be used in physical, legal, or abstract contexts.
general
To speak or write in favor of someone or something.
He defended his decision to resign.
He explained why his choice to quit was justified.
Often used in debates or discussions.
Sports
In sports, to try to stop the opposing team from scoring.
The team defended their championship title.
The team successfully protected their title from being taken.
Common in team sports like soccer or basketball.
Collocations
defend againstto protect from a specific threatdefend oneselfto protect oneself from harm or criticismdefend a positionto argue in support of an opinion
Related Phrases
Pro Tip
Prepositions matter
Use 'defend against' for threats (e.g., 'defend against criticism') and 'defend from' for general protection (e.g., 'defend from harm').
Gold Rule
Context determines meaning
The meaning of 'defend' changes based on context: legal (court), physical (attack), or abstract (opinion).
Word Origin
From Middle English 'defenden', from Old French 'defendre' (modern French 'défendre'), from Latin 'defendere' (to ward off, protect), from 'de-' (away) + 'fendere' (to strike). Related to 'offend' and 'fence'.
Usage Notes
Common in legal, military, and everyday contexts. Often followed by 'from' or 'against' when specifying what is being protected.
Word Breakdown
de-
away, down
prefix-fend-
strike, push
root-er
one who performs an action
suffixEnglish Dictionary