c. 1300, "forbidding, prohibition," also "action of guarding or protecting," from Old French defense, from Latin defensus, past participle of defendere "ward off, protect" (see defend). But it also arrived (without the final -e) from Old French defens, from Latin defensum "thing protected or forbidden," neuter past participle of defendere.
Defens was assimilated into defense, but not before it inspired the alternative spelling defence, via the same tendency that produced hence (hennis), pence (penies), dunce (Duns). First used 1935 as a euphemism for "national military resources." Defense mechanism in psychology is from 1913.
实用例句
1. The prosecution and defense were bandying accusations back and forth.
原告和被告你来我往，互相指责。
来自柯林斯例句
2. NATO defense ministers wrap up their meeting in Brussels today.
北约各国国防部长今天圆满结束了在布鲁塞尔的会议。
来自柯林斯例句
3. Their defense markets are too small to sustain economically viable production runs.
他们的国防市场太小，就经济可行性而言不足以维持生产。
来自柯林斯例句
4. Twenty eight percent of the federal budget is spent on defense.
28%的联邦预算用于国防。
来自柯林斯例句
5. Issues of national defense have been the undoing of Democratic candidates.
