{
    "term": "defend",
    "partOfSpeech": "verb",
    "ox3000": true,
    "cefr": "b2",
    "verbForms": {
        "presentSimple": {
            "iYouWeThey": "defend",
            "heSheIt": "defends"
        },
        "pastSimple": "defended",
        "pastParticiple": "defended",
        "ingForm": "defending"
    },
    "definitions": [
        {
            "senseNumber": 1,
            "definition": "to protect somebody/something from attack",
            "sensetop": "defend somebody/somethingdefend somebody/something against somebody/somethingdefend somebody/something from somebody/somethingdefend yourself (from/against somebody/something)defend against somebody/something",
            "cefr": "b2",
            "ox3000": true,
            "examples": [
                {
                    "text": "The role of the military is to defend the country.",
                    "contextForm": "defend somebody/something"
                },
                {
                    "text": "Troops have been sent to defend the borders."
                },
                {
                    "text": "The male birds defend their territory against other males.",
                    "contextForm": "defend somebody/something against somebody/something"
                },
                {
                    "text": "The cannons once defended the city from attack by sea.",
                    "contextForm": "defend somebody/something from somebody/something"
                },
                {
                    "text": "All our officers are trained to defend themselves against knife attacks.",
                    "contextForm": "defend yourself (from/against somebody/something)"
                },
                {
                    "text": "It is impossible to defend against an all-out attack.",
                    "contextForm": "defend against somebody/something"
                },
                {
                    "text": "She successfully defended herself against an attack from someone larger and stronger."
                },
                {
                    "text": "The city was heavily defended against attack."
                },
                {
                    "text": "They attacked the left flank, which was only lightly defended."
                },
                {
                    "text": "The international community should step into defend the powerless."
                }
            ],
            "topics": ["War and conflict"],
            "collocations": {
                "adverb": ["adequately", "effectively", "properly"],
                "preposition": ["against"]
            }
        },
        {
            "senseNumber": 2,
            "definition": "to protect something that you value and prevent it from being taken away",
            "sensetop": "defend something",
            "cefr": "b2",
            "ox3000": true,
            "examples": [
                {
                    "text": "The organization works to defend human rights wherever they are threatened."
                },
                {
                    "text": "Freedom must always be defended."
                },
                {
                    "text": "The ruling class will always defend its own interests."
                },
                {
                    "text": "People must be vigilant in defending civil liberties regardless of external threats."
                }
            ]
        },
        {
            "senseNumber": 3,
            "definition": "to say or write something in support of somebody/something that has been criticized",
            "sensetop": "defend somebody/something against somebody/somethingdefend somebody/something from somebody/somethingdefend yourself (from/against somebody/something)",
            "cefr": "b2",
            "ox3000": true,
            "examples": [
                {
                    "text": "They defended their decision to pull out of the event."
                },
                {
                    "text": "The minister **vigorously defended** the policy."
                },
                {
                    "text": "How can you defend such behaviour?"
                },
                {
                    "text": "I realized I couldn't logically defend my position."
                },
                {
                    "text": "The article seeks to defend him against charges of hypocrisy.",
                    "contextForm": "defend somebody/something against somebody/something"
                },
                {
                    "text": "Her colleagues united in defending her from further personal attacks.",
                    "contextForm": "defend somebody/something from somebody/something"
                },
                {
                    "text": "Politicians are skilled at defending themselves against their critics.",
                    "contextForm": "defend yourself (from/against somebody/something)"
                },
                {
                    "text": "The company has strenuously defended its decision to reduce the workforce."
                },
                {
                    "text": "She was quick to defend her husband's actions."
                },
                {
                    "text": "She defended her department against accusations of incompetence."
                },
                {
                    "text": "I will strenuously defend your right to say what you think."
                }
            ],
            "topics": ["Opinion and argument"],
            "collocations": {
                "adverb": ["actively", "aggressively", "fiercely"],
                "preposition": ["against"]
            }
        },
        {
            "senseNumber": 4,
            "definition": "to protect your own goal to stop your opponents from scoring",
            "sensetop": "defend something",
            "cefr": "c1",
            "examples": [
                {
                    "text": "They were forced to defend for long periods."
                },
                {
                    "text": "Moody and Moran defended their goal well.",
                    "contextForm": "defend something"
                }
            ],
            "topics": ["Sports: ball and racket sports"],
            "collocations": {
                "adverb": ["adequately", "effectively", "properly"],
                "preposition": ["against"]
            }
        },
        {
            "senseNumber": 5,
            "definition": "to take part in a competition that you won the last time and try to win it again",
            "sensetop": "defend something",
            "labels": "(politics)",
            "examples": [
                {
                    "text": "He is **defending champion**."
                },
                {
                    "text": "She will be **defending her title** at next month's championships."
                },
                {
                    "text": "The champion **successfully defended** his title against the American challenger."
                },
                {
                    "text": "He intends to defend his seat in the next election."
                }
            ],
            "collocations": {
                "adverb": ["successfully"],
                "preposition": ["against"]
            }
        },
        {
            "senseNumber": 6,
            "definition": "to act as a lawyer for somebody who has been charged with a crime",
            "sensetop": "defend (somebody)defend yourself",
            "cefr": "b2",
            "examples": [
                {
                    "text": "He has employed one of the UK's top lawyers to defend him.",
                    "contextForm": "defend (somebody)"
                },
                {
                    "text": "Who's defending?"
                },
                {
                    "text": "Smith has announced that she will defend herself in the case.",
                    "contextForm": "defend yourself"
                }
            ],
            "topics": ["Law and justice"]
        }
    ],
    "pronunciations": {
        "uk": [
            {
                "pronunciation": "/dɪˈfend/",
                "audio": "de/defend/defend__gb_1.mp3"
            },
            {
                "pronunciation": "/dɪˈfendz/",
                "audio": "de/defend/defends__gb_1.mp3"
            },
            {
                "pronunciation": "/dɪˈfendɪd/",
                "audio": "de/defend/defended__gb_1.mp3"
            },
            {
                "pronunciation": "/dɪˈfendɪŋ/",
                "audio": "de/defend/defending__gb_1.mp3"
            }
        ],
        "us": [
            {
                "pronunciation": "/dɪˈfend/",
                "audio": "de/defend/defend__us_4.mp3"
            },
            {
                "pronunciation": "/dɪˈfendz/",
                "audio": "de/defend/defends__us_1.mp3"
            },
            {
                "pronunciation": "/dɪˈfendɪd/",
                "audio": "de/defend/defended__us_1.mp3"
            },
            {
                "pronunciation": "/dɪˈfendɪŋ/",
                "audio": "de/defend/defending__us_1.mp3"
            }
        ]
    },
    "wordOrigin": "Middle English: from Old French defendre, from Latin defendere, from de- ‘off’ + -fendere ‘to strike’. Compare with offend."
}