Definition of "defense" []

• The act of defending against attack, danger, or injury. (noun)
• A means or method of defending or protecting. (noun)
• Sports The act or an instance of defending a championship against a challenger: will box in his third defense of his title. (noun)
• An argument in support or justification of something. See Synonyms at apology. (noun)
• Law The action of the defendant in opposition to complaints against him or her. (noun)

American Heritage(R) Dictionary of the English Language, Fifth Edition. Copyright (c) 2011 by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. Published by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. All rights reserved.

• "ROBERT GATES, SECRETARY OF DEFENSE: Based on my experience serving seven presidents, as a former director of CIA and now as secretary of defense, I am here to make the case for strengthening our capacity to use soft power and for better integrating it with hard power."
• "ROBERT GATES, SECRETARY OF DEFENSE: More often than not, during my career, the secretary of state, the secretary of defense have not been on speaking terms ..."
• "(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE) DONALD RUMSFELD, SECRETARY OF DEFENSE: I, would start on a personal note -- my time as secretary of defense, I've come away truly inspired by the professionalism, the dedication, the dignity, of the men and women in uniform."