defend
/dɪˈfɛnd/ verb B1- To ward off attacks against (something or someone).
- To ward off attacks from (something or someone).
- To support by words or writing; to vindicate, talk in favour of.
- To make legal defence of; to represent (the accused).
- To focus one's energies and talents on preventing opponents from scoring, as opposed to focusing on scoring.
- 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. · The teams strategy was to defend but score runs as well for the first 20 overs.
- 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.
- To call a raise from the big blind.
Plural defend · He/she/it defends · Past defended · Past participle defended · -ing form defending
Verb forms
- Base form
- defend
- He/she/it
- defends
- Past
- defended
- Past participle
- defended
- -ing form
- defending
From the library
“Man does not appear to me to be intended to enjoy felicity so unmixed; happiness is like the enchanted palaces we read of in our childhood, where fierce, fiery dragons defend the entrance and approach; and monsters of all shapes and kinds, requiring to be overcome ere victory is ours.
You shall not defend her, though it is Charlotte Lucas.
The one fled away; the other stood his ground and defended himself with his stout right hand.
The Cock defended himself by saying that he did this for the benefit of men, that they might rise in time for their labours.
Learn defend in real texts
With a free account, hover any word in the library for its meaning, hear it read aloud, save words for review timed to your memory, and see how much of each book you already know.