defend

defend — verb

1. to take action to keep someone or something safe from physical attack, danger, o

1.動詞及物 / 不及物B1
釋義

to take action to keep someone or something safe from physical attack, danger, or harmful words

例句

Rodrigo defended his younger sister when older kids tried to bully her at school.

defend + person + against threat (bullying)

The soldiers fought hard to defend the village from the advancing troops.

defend + place + from + physical attack

同義詞
  • protect

    broader meaning — can be passive (a helmet protects) whereas defend is always active

  • guard

    suggests staying watchful over something over time, not just during an attack

  • shield

    means placing something between the danger and the person, like a physical barrier

反義詞
  • attack

    the opposite action — trying to harm instead of protect

文法句型

defend + noun phrase (person/place/idea)

defend + noun phrase + against/from + noun phrase

用法筆記

Commonly used with 'against' (defend against attack) or 'from' (defend from harm). The reflexive form 'defend yourself/oneself' is very frequent and covers both physical and verbal contexts: 'He learned martial arts to defend himself.'

常見錯誤

❌A thick coat defends you from the cold.
✅A thick coat protects you from the cold.
💡Things like clothes and shelters protect; people defend by actively resisting a threat.
❌She defended her children from the rain under a tree.
✅She sheltered her children from the rain.
💡'Defend' implies an active threat or attack, not just weather.

2. to express your agreement with a person, plan, or opinion in speech or writing w

2.動詞及物B1
釋義

to express your agreement with a person, plan, or opinion in speech or writing when other people are attacking it

例句

Emre defended the new parking rules during the town hall meeting.

defend + decision/rule in public forum

Maeve wrote a column defending the artist against harsh reviews from critics.

defend + person + against + criticism

同義詞
  • support

    broader — can mean general agreement without needing an attack to respond to

  • advocate

    suggests active, public campaigning for something, often with a moral dimension

  • stand up for

    less formal, implies courage in the face of opposition

反義詞
  • criticize

    to express disapproval of someone or something

  • attack

    to criticize someone or something strongly

文法句型

defend + noun phrase (person/policy/idea) + against + noun phrase

defend + noun phrase (decision/action)

用法筆記

Often paired with 'against' when the criticism or attack is named: 'defend someone/something against criticism/accusations/attacks.' Unlike 'discuss,' this sense always carries an element of opposition — you defend only when someone is attacking.

常見錯誤

❌Lien defended the idea by explaining its benefits.
✅Lien supported the idea by explaining its benefits.
💡'Defend' implies the idea is under attack; 'support' is neutral and can be used without opposition.

3. to act as the lawyer for someone facing a criminal charge and try to show that t

3.動詞及物B2
釋義

to act as the lawyer for someone facing a criminal charge and try to show that the accusation is wrong

例句

Brian hired an experienced lawyer to defend him in the fraud case.

defend + accused person + in + type of case

Nkechi is the attorney who will defend the teenager accused of stealing a car.

同義詞
  • represent

    broader — can mean acting for someone in any legal matter, not just criminal defense

反義詞
  • prosecute

    to officially accuse someone of a crime and try to prove their guilt in court

文法句型

defend + noun phrase (person/the accused/client)

用法筆記

Only sense with a specific professional-legal meaning. The lawyer doing this work is a defense attorney or public defender. The person being defended is the defendant. Not used for civil lawsuits where you represent a client in a dispute — distinguish from 'represent' in that context.

常見錯誤

❌Lauren defended her friend in a fight.
✅Lauren defended her friend in court.
💡This sense is specifically about legal representation, not physical protection. The courtroom context must be clear.

4. to try to keep a sports championship or award when the next contest arrives afte

4.動詞及物B2
釋義

to try to keep a sports championship or award when the next contest arrives after a previous win

例句

The tennis star hopes to defend her championship at Wimbledon next summer.

defend + championship — sports title collocation

Élise will defend her Olympic gold medal at the next Summer Games.

反義詞
  • lose

    to fail to keep a title or championship

  • concede

    to give up a title or match

文法句型

defend + title/championship/gold medal

用法筆記

The object is always a title, championship, medal, crown, or similar award. The competition or opponent is introduced with 'against.' Frequently used in sports journalism but also in other competitions (chess, spelling bees, political elections).

常見錯誤

❌The team defended the game well.
✅The team defended their championship well.
💡In this sense, you defend the title, not the game or match itself.

5. to try to stop the other team or player from scoring points or goals in a game o

5.動詞及物 / 不及物B2
釋義

to try to stop the other team or player from scoring points or goals in a game or match

例句

Christopher played as a defender and tried to block every shot near the goal.

defend + block + goal — defensive play description

The tallest player on the team usually defends the basket during games.

defend + basket (basketball)

同義詞
  • guard

    often used interchangeably in basketball; 'guard the basket' means the same as 'defend the basket'

  • cover

    more specific — means staying close to a particular opponent or area

  • protect

    less common in sports; 'protect the lead' is different from 'defend the goal'

反義詞
  • attack

    in sports, the opposite of defending is attacking or going on offense

文法句型

defend + noun phrase (goal/net/basket)

defend against + noun phrase (opponent/attack)

defend (no object)

用法筆記

Can be used transitively ('defend the goal') or intransitively ('our team defended well'). Distinguished from sense 4 (TITLE) in that this sense focuses on the in-game action of preventing scores, not on retaining a championship. In American football, hockey, and soccer, the defensive players are responsible for this action.