DEFEND1 to defend a person, place, or country from attack2 used for defence against attack3 to defend an idea or person when they are criticizedRELATED WORDSoppositeATTACKCRITICIZEunable to defend yourself 不能自卫WEAKsee alsoPROTECTSAFELOOK AFTER1 to defend a person, place, or country from attack 保护某人、地方或国家免受攻击defend /dɪˈfend/ [transitive verb]to use physical or military force to protect a person or place that is being attacked 保护，保卫，防御〔人或地方〕 Hundreds of soldiers died while defending the town. 在保卫该镇的战斗中，几百名战士牺牲了。 US troops in Panama will only be used to defend the Canal. 在巴拿马的美军只是用来保护巴拿马运河的。defend something against/from somebody The castle was built in 1549 to defend the island against invaders. 这座城堡建于1549年，目的是保护该岛不受侵略者袭击。defend yourself Carson claims he was defending himself when he struck the other man. 卡森声称他是为了自卫才打另一名男子的。hold off /ˌhəʊld ˈɒf/ [transitive phrasal verb]to prevent someone who is attacking you from coming any closer 抵挡，挡住hold off somebody/something The bunkers were built on the cliffs to hold off the enemy's landing forces. 地堡筑在悬崖上以抵御敌人的登陆部队。hold somebody/something off At that point our troops were too weak to hold them off. 我军在那个时候很弱，抵挡不住他们。come to somebody's defenceBritish/defenseAmerican /ˌkʌm tə somebodyˈs dɪˈfens/ [verb phrase]to defend another person or country that is being attacked 保护〔保卫〕某人〔指正遭袭击的人或国家〕 Things seemed to be going badly until NATO forces came to their defence. 形势似乎趋向恶化，直至北约部队来保卫了他们。come to the defence/defense of somebody Rhonda came to the defense of her brother by swinging a chain at his attacker. 朗达为保护她弟弟，向攻击者挥舞链条。in defence of somethingBritish/defense of somethingAmerican /ɪn dɪˈfens əv something/ [preposition]if you do something in defence of a place, especially your country, you do it in order to defend that place 为了保卫某物〔指某个地方，尤指自己的国家 Would you be prepared to fight in defence of your country? 你愿意为保卫祖国而战吗? These brave young men have given their lives in defence of freedom. 这些勇敢的年轻人为维护自由而献出了生命。2 used for defence against attack 用于抵御攻击defenceBritish/defenseAmerican /dɪˈfens/ [uncountable noun]all the weapons, soldiers, systems, or activities that a country uses to defend itself against attack by an enemy 防御；国防 Defense is expected to be a big issue during the next election. 国防有可能成为下一次大选时的主要议题。defence/defense spendingmoney spent on defence 国防开支 Defence spending has risen by 10% in the current budget. 在当前的预算中国防开支已增加了10%。defence/defense system The military is continuing to work on its missile defense system. 军方在继续致力建设导弹防御系统。the defence/defense industryall the companies that make weapons 国防工业 The defence industry relies heavily on sales of weapons to foreign countries. 国防工业严重依赖向外国出售武器。self-defenceBritish/self-defenseAmerican /ˌself dɪˈfens/ [uncountable noun]methods used by countries or people to stop themselves from being attacked or harmed 自卫 All nations have the right to self-defence. 所有国家都有自卫的权利。 self-defence classes 自卫培训班in self-defence/defensein order to protect yourself 出于自卫 She claims she shot him in self-defence. 她声称向他开枪是出于自卫。defencesBritish/defensesAmerican /dɪˈfensɪz, dɪˈfensəz/ [plural noun]all the soldiers and equipment that are available for defending a country or place 防御物；防卫力量；国防力量 The new radar system is an important part of the country's defences. 这个新的雷达系统是该国国防的重要组成部分。 The country has responded to threats of invasion by strengthening its defenses. 这个国家以加强国防力量来回应入侵的威胁。defensive /dɪˈfensɪv/ [adjective]used only for protecting your country or group, not for attacking someone else 防御性的，防卫用的 Police officers claimed that their actions during the riots were purely defensive. 警方声称，他们在暴乱中的行动完全是出于防卫。defensive weapons/position/measures According to the report, only defensive weapons had been supplied to Iran. 该报道称提供给伊朗的仅限于防卫性武器。3 to defend an idea or person when they are criticized 当某观念或个人受到批评时为其辩护defend /dɪˈfend/ [transitive verb]to say something to support an idea or person when other people are criticizing them 为…辩护，为…辩解 It's difficult to defend a sport that involves hurting animals. 很难为一项伤害动物的运动作辩解。 Her speech defended the workers’ right to strike. 她的讲话为工人的罢工权利作了辩护。 The Fire Chief defended his staff and said that they had done everything possible to save the girl's life. 消防队长为其属下辩护，说他们已尽了一切努力来营救那名女孩的生命。defend somebody against/from something She has repeatedly tried to defend her husband against hostile criticism in the press. 她一再试图对报界恶意的批评为丈夫作辩护。defend yourself Everyone was shouting at me, and I never got a chance to defend myself. 大家都朝我大喊大叫，我一直没有机会为自己辩解。vigorously defend somebody/somethingdefend them very strongly 奋力为某人/某事辩护 Carey vigorously defended his fund-raising methods. 凯里奋力为自己的筹款方式作辩护。stand up for /ˌstænd ˈʌp fɔːʳ/ [transitive phrasal verb]to strongly defend someone who is being criticized, or strongly defend your ideas or your rights 坚决为〔某人或自己的信念、原则〕辩护，维护 You have to be ready to stand up for the things you believe in. 你必须有思想准备，要坚决维护自己的信念。 Didn't anyone stand up for James and say it wasn't his fault? 没人站出来为詹姆斯辩解，说这事不是他的错吗?stand up for yourself Don't let her get away with that - stand up for yourself. 别让她就那样逃避了责任，你得挺身为自己辩护。stick up for /ˌstɪk ˈʌp fɔːʳ/ [transitive phrasal verb]spokento strongly defend someone who is being criticized, especially when no one else will defend them 【口】支持，维护，为…辩护〔尤指没有别的人为某人作辩护时〕 The only person who stuck up for me was Sarah. 唯一支持我的是萨拉。 You're her husband - you should stick up for her. 你是她丈夫—你应当支持她。come to somebody's defence/come to the defence of somebodyBritish/defenseAmerican /ˌkʌm tə somebodyˈs dɪˈfens, ˌkʌm tə ðə dɪˈfens əvsomebody/ [verb phrase]to say something to defend someone who is being criticized 为某人辩护 Dad seemed to think the accident was my fault, but Judy came to my defence and told him what had happened. 爸爸好像认为这祸是我闯的，但朱迪为我辩护，跟他说了事情的经过。 A large group of supporters have come to Robinson's defense. 一大群支持者来为鲁宾逊作辩护。 Surprisingly, Major came to the defence of his old enemy. 令人吃惊的是，梅杰竟为他的老敌手辩护。in somebody's defenceBritish/defenseAmerican /ɪn somebodyˈs dɪˈfens/ [adverb]if you say somethingin someone's defence, you say it in order to defend them from criticism 为了替某人辩护 As far as I'm concerned, there is nothing you can say in her defence. 在我看来，你没什么可以为她辩护的。 I ought to say, in Jim's defence, that he only heard about the meeting half an hour ago. 我得为吉姆说一句，他半小时前才听说开会的事。in defence/defense of somebody No one spoke up in defense of Principal Blackman during the entire meeting. 整个会议期间没有人为布莱克曼校长辩护一句。in defence of somethingBritish/defense of somethingAmerican /ɪn dɪˈfens əv something/ [preposition]if you do or say somethingin defence of something, you do or say it to defend something that is very important to you, such as your rights or principles 为了维护〔对自己非常重要的事，如权利或原则〕 The miners went on strike in defence of their jobs. 为了保住工作，矿工们继续罢工。 She spoke bravely and defiantly in defence of human rights. 为了维护人权，她作了一番勇敢无畏的演说。defenceBritish/defenseAmerican /dɪˈfens/ [singular noun]a written or spoken statement that defends something against criticism, especially something that is very important to you 辩护辞；辩护文章defence of The article was a rather unconvincing defence of her economic record. 这篇文章对她经济纪录的辩护相当不能使人信服。strong/robust/spirited/vigorous defencestrong defence 强有力/坚定/热烈/顽强的辩护 Pacheco gave a vigorous defense of the state's affirmative action laws. 帕切科为该州的积极行动法作了强有力的辩护。