3 VERB If a task or a problem defeats you, it is so difficult that you cannot do it or solve it. □ [V n] There were times when the challenges of writing such a huge novel almost defeated her.
4 VERB To defeat an action or plan means to cause it to fail. □ [V n] The navy played a limited but significant role in defeating the rebellion.
5 N‑VAR Defeat is the experience of being beaten in a battle, game, or contest, or of failing to achieve what you wanted to. □ The most important thing is not to admit defeat until you really have to. □ [+ for ] The vote is seen as a defeat for the anti-abortion lobby. SYNONYMS defeat VERB 1
beat: In yesterday's games, Switzerland beat the United States two–one.
conquer: Early in the eleventh century the whole of England was again conquered by the Vikings.
de|feat|ism /d I fiː t I zəm/ N‑UNCOUNT Defeatism is a way of thinking or talking which suggests that you expect to be unsuccessful. □ …the mood of economic defeatism.
de|feat|ist /d I fiː t I st/ (defeatists ) N‑COUNT A defeatist is someone who thinks or talks in a way that suggests that they expect to be unsuccessful. ● ADJ Defeatist is also an adjective. □ There is no point going out there with a defeatist attitude.
def|ecate /de fəke I t/ (defecates , defecating , defecated ) VERB When people and animals defecate , they get rid of waste matter from their body through their anus. [FORMAL ] ● def|eca|tion /de fəke I ʃ ə n/ N‑UNCOUNT □ The drug's side-effects can include involuntary defecation.
de|fect (defects , defecting , defected ) The noun is pronounced /diː fekt/. The verb is pronounced /d I fe kt/. 1 N‑COUNT A defect is a fault or imperfection in a person or thing. □ He was born with a hearing defect. □ …a defect in the aircraft caused the crash.
2 VERB If you defect , you leave your country, political party, or other group, and join an opposing country, party, or group. □ [V + to/from ] 25 per cent of its listed client base defect to rival auditors. □ [V ] …a KGB officer who defected in 1963. ● de|fec|tion /d I fe kʃ ə n/ (defections ) N‑VAR □ …the defection of at least sixteen Parliamentary deputies.
de|fec|tive /d I fe kt I v/ ADJ If something is defective , there is something wrong with it and it does not work properly. □ Retailers can return defective merchandise.
de|fec|tor /d I fe ktə r / (defectors ) N‑COUNT A defector is someone who leaves their country, political party, or other group, and joins an opposing country, party, or group.
de|fence ◆◆◇ /d I fe ns/ (defences ) The spelling defense is used in American English, and in meaning 8 is pronounced /diː fens/. 1 N‑UNCOUNT Defence is action that is taken to protect someone or something against attack. □ The land was flat, giving no scope for defence. □ By wielding a knife in defence you run the risk of having it used against you.
2 N‑UNCOUNT [oft N n] Defence is the organization of a country's armies and weapons, and their use to protect the country or its interests. □ Twenty eight percent of the federal budget is spent on defense. □ …the French defence minister.
3 N‑PLURAL The defences of a country or region are all its armed forces and weapons. □ …the need to maintain Britain's defences at a sufficiently high level.
4 N‑COUNT A defence is something that people or animals can use or do to protect themselves. □ [+ against ] The immune system is our main defence against disease.
5 N‑COUNT [oft in N ] A defence is something that you say or write which supports ideas or actions that have been criticized or questioned. □ [+ of ] Chomsky's defence of his approach goes further.
6 N‑COUNT [oft with poss] In a court of law, an accused person's defence is the process of presenting evidence in their favour. □ He has insisted on conducting his own defence.
7 N‑SING The defence is the case that is presented by a lawyer in a trial for the person who has been accused of a crime. You can also refer to this person's lawyers as the defence . □ The defence was that the records of the interviews were fabricated by the police.
8 N‑SING [with sing or pl verb, oft poss N , oft in N ] In games such as football or hockey, the defence is the group of players in a team who try to stop the opposing players scoring a goal or a point. □ Their defence, so strong last season, has now conceded 12 goals in six games. □ I still prefer to play in defence.
9 PHRASE If you come to someone's defence , you help them by doing or saying something to protect them. □ He realized none of his schoolmates would come to his defense. COLLOCATIONS defence NOUN
5
adjective + defence : passionate, spirited, successful, vigorous
verb + defence : launch, mount
7
adjective + defence : credible, robust, solid
de|fence|less /d I fe nsləs/ in AM, use defenseless ADJ If someone or something is defenceless , they are weak and unable to defend themselves properly. □ …a savage attack on a defenceless young girl.
de|fe nce mecha|nism (defence mechanisms ) N‑COUNT A defence mechanism is a way of behaving or thinking which is not conscious or deliberate and is an automatic reaction to unpleasant experiences or feelings such as anxiety and fear.
de|fend ◆◆◇ /d I fe nd/ (defends , defending , defended )