B1 noun #2,500 le plus courant 2 min de lecture

방어

The act of protecting yourself or something else from harm or attack.

bangeo

Explication à ton niveau :

Defense is when you stop someone from hurting you. If you have a shield, you are using it for defense. It keeps you safe from bad things.

In sports like soccer, the defense is the team that tries to stop the other team from getting a goal. It is an important part of the game.

Defense is a common term in law. If you are in court, the lawyer who helps you is called your defense. It is their job to explain your side of the story.

We often talk about 'national defense', which refers to how a country protects its borders. It involves military and strategic planning to ensure safety from external threats.

In psychology, 'defense mechanisms' are unconscious processes that protect the ego from anxiety. This shows how the word has shifted from physical protection to mental health.

Etymologically, the concept of defense is tied to the Latin 'defendere'. It encompasses the philosophical debate between active aggression and passive protection throughout human history.

Mot en 30 secondes

  • Protection from attack
  • Used in law and sports
  • US spelling: Defense
  • Opposite: Offense

When we talk about defense (or '방어' in Korean), we are talking about the fundamental human need to stay safe. Whether it is a knight holding a shield or a team in a soccer game trying to stop the other side from scoring, the concept remains the same.

Think of it as a barrier between you and a potential threat. It is not always about fighting back; sometimes, it is just about standing your ground and making sure you are not hurt. It is a very versatile word used in sports, law, biology, and even everyday conversations about protecting your ideas.

The English word 'defense' comes from the Old French 'defens', which traces back to the Latin 'defensum', meaning 'to ward off'. It has deep roots in the idea of fending something away.

Historically, this word evolved alongside the development of fortifications and military strategy. In the Middle Ages, a 'defense' was literally a wall or a moat. Over time, it moved from purely physical structures to abstract concepts like legal defense or psychological self-defense mechanisms.

You will hear this word most often in sports (e.g., 'the defense played well') or law (e.g., 'the defense attorney'). It is a neutral term that fits into both formal and casual registers.

Common collocations include 'strong defense', 'national defense', and 'self-defense'. Use it whenever you need to describe the act of blocking or protecting against an outside force.

1. The best defense is a good offense: Sometimes it is better to take action than to just wait. 2. Up in arms: To be ready to defend or fight. 3. Defensive line: The group of players responsible for protection. 4. Last line of defense: The final person or thing that protects you. 5. Self-defense: Protecting oneself from physical harm.

In English, 'defense' (US) or 'defence' (UK) is an uncountable noun when referring to the general concept, but can be countable when referring to a specific strategy. The stress is usually on the second syllable: de-FENSE.

It rhymes with 'tense', 'sense', and 'fence', making it quite easy to remember for English learners.

Le savais-tu ?

It shares a root with 'offend'.

Guide de prononciation

UK dɪˈfens

dee-FENS

US dɪˈfens

dee-FENS

Erreurs fréquentes

  • stressing the first syllable
  • pronouncing the 's' as 'z'
  • confusing with 'fence'

Rime avec

fence tense sense hence dense

Niveau de difficulté

Lecture 2/5

easy

Écriture 2/5

easy

Expression orale 2/5

easy

Écoute 2/5

easy

Quoi apprendre ensuite

Prérequis

shield guard

Apprends ensuite

offense strategy

Avancé

fortification

Grammaire à connaître

Uncountable nouns

Defense is vital.

Exemples par niveau

1

He used his hands for defense.

hand = 손

noun usage

1

The team has a good defense.

2

She put her hands up in defense.

3

We need better defense.

4

Defense is important in sports.

5

The castle had strong defense.

6

He stood in his own defense.

7

They practiced their defense.

8

Defense wins games.

1

The defense attorney spoke well.

2

Our national defense is strong.

3

He acted in self-defense.

4

The army prepared for defense.

5

The company built a defense against hackers.

6

They mounted a strong defense.

7

His defense was very convincing.

8

She is the best player on defense.

1

The defense argued that he was innocent.

2

The immune system is the body's defense.

3

He went on the defensive immediately.

4

The government increased defense spending.

5

The castle's defenses were breached.

6

They formed a defensive perimeter.

7

She used humor as a defense.

8

The team's defense was impenetrable.

1

The lawyer's defense strategy was brilliant.

2

He deployed a defense against the allegations.

3

The city's defense was organized by the general.

4

She raised a defense of necessity.

5

The software provides a defense against malware.

6

His defense was based on lack of evidence.

7

They are strengthening their cyber defense.

8

The defense rested its case.

1

The architect designed the building with defense in mind.

2

The philosophical defense of his theory was robust.

3

They engaged in a spirited defense of their rights.

4

The state's defense against the claim was weak.

5

He offered a defense of his actions.

6

The system acts as a defense against inflation.

7

The defense of the realm was paramount.

8

She articulated a defense of the new policy.

Collocations courantes

strong defense
national defense
self-defense
legal defense
defense attorney
defense budget
cyber defense
mount a defense
break through defense
first line of defense
defense mechanism

Expressions idiomatiques

"the best defense is a good offense"

attack to prevent being attacked

He decided to sue first, because the best defense is a good offense.

neutral

Facile à confondre

방어 vs offense

opposites

attack vs protect

Defense stops, offense attacks.

Structures de phrases

B2

In defense of [noun]

In defense of his friend, he spoke up.

Famille de mots

Noms

defender someone who protects

Verbes

defend to protect

Adjectifs

defensive used for protection

Apparenté

offense opposite

Comment l'utiliser

frequency

8/10

Échelle de formalité

formal neutral casual

Astuces

💡

Memory Palace

Picture a fence around your house.

💡

Sports

Always use it for the protecting team.

🌍

Law

Defense attorney is a common job title.

💡

Spelling

Remember the 's' for US English.

💡

Stress

Stress the second syllable.

💡

Verb vs Noun

Defend is the verb.

💡

Etymology

Latin origin.

💡

Flashcards

Use pictures of shields.

Mémorise-le

Moyen mnémotechnique

De-fence: Keep the fence up to keep bad things out.

Association visuelle

A knight with a shield.

Word Web

shield armor wall guard

Défi

Write 3 sentences using the word.

Origine du mot

Latin

Sens originel : to ward off

Contexte culturel

None

Used heavily in legal and sports contexts.

The best defense is a good offense (proverb)

Pratique dans la vie réelle

Contextes réels

Sports

  • good defense
  • defense line
  • play defense

Amorces de conversation

"Do you like sports with good defense?"

"What is your best defense against stress?"

Sujets d'écriture

Write about a time you had to defend yourself.

Why is defense important in society?

Questions fréquentes

8 questions

Defense is US, Defence is UK.

Teste-toi

fill blank A1

He used a shield for ___.

Correct ! Pas tout à fait. Rponse correcte : defense

Shields are for protection.

multiple choice A2

Which is the opposite of defense?

Correct ! Pas tout à fait. Rponse correcte : Offense

Offense is attacking.

true false B1

A defense attorney helps the person being sued.

Correct ! Pas tout à fait. Rponse correcte : Vrai

That is their job.

match pairs B1

Word

Signification

Tout est apparié !

Synonyms.

sentence order B2

Touche les mots ci-dessous pour construire la phrase
Correct ! Pas tout à fait. Rponse correcte :

Adjective before noun.

Score : /5

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