Defences, also spelled defenses, is a noun that refers to protective or preventive measures taken to guard against potential harm, danger, or an attack. It is the plural form of the noun "defence," which can be used to denote a singular protective structure or act. The term is commonly used in the context of military strategies, legal proceedings, sports, and personal safety.
In military terms, defences encompass various fortifications, barriers, or methods employed to safeguard territories, installations, or troops from enemy assaults. These can include physical structures like walls, moats, trenches, and bunkers, as well as tactics such as surveillance, intelligence-gathering, and strategic positioning.
In legal contexts, defences refer to arguments, evidence, or claims used to protect or justify oneself or to counter accusations in a legal proceeding. These may include defenses such as self-defense, insanity, alibi, duress, or consent, depending on the specific circumstances of the case.
In sports, defences are tactics employed by a team or individual to impede the progress or scoring of an opponent. These involve strategies such as blocking, tackling, interception, zone coverage, or man-to-man marking, depending on the specific sport.
On a personal level, defences can refer to the mechanisms or strategies individuals adopt to protect themselves emotionally or psychologically. These can include behaviors like denial, repression, avoidance, or aggression, and are often used to cope with stressful or threatening situations.
Overall, defences encompass a wide range of methods, strategies, or structures employed to protect, safeguard, or counteract potential threats, whether they are physical, legal, sporting, or psychological in nature.
