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self-defense

self-defense

230 3.5
Protecting yourself from being hurt, often by using force
  • noun
  • /ˌsɛlf dɪˈfɛns/
  • US
translation icon : defensa propia
  • In situations of imminent danger, using self-defense can be necessary to protect oneself.
  • right of self-defense
  • claim of self-defense
  • arms in self-defense

Number one, self defence is always justifiable, right?

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Examples

  • The little official was backing away, hands held out before him as if in self-defense.

    Fiction book (1992)
  • Legal protection for the home goes far deeper than the right to self-defense.

    Academic text (2017)
  • So how far does the right to self-defense actually go?

  • This is a key point because our first form of self-defense is to get away.

  • Did that look like self-defense to you?

  • I look at this simply as self-defense.

  • I do believe that martial arts are for self-defense only.

  • And yes, the people of Gaza have the right to self-defense, have the right to defend themselves.

  • They show up for the self-defense, right?

  • We may even see emotion play a role in the doctrine of self-defense.

    Academic text (1999)

Synonyms

self-protection
vsself-defense
7 3.4

Actions or things people use to keep themselves safe

focuses on using force to prevent physical injury rather than general safety measures
protective reaction
vsself-defense
3.8

An action that keeps someone safe from danger

involves the person acting to stop physical attack often with force

Antonyms

295 3.5

Being in contact with something that can affect you

156 5.1

A state of being easily harmed physically or emotionally

How Defensive

self-defense
  • US
230 3.5
avoidance
39 3.7

Surface Forms

self-defense singular
self-defenses plural
self-defences plural
self-defence singular

Morphology

self-defense = self + defense (transparent) = self + defense

Meaning is directly composed from 'self' + 'defense' indicating defending oneself; the compound is semantically clear.

Etymology

Self-defense is made from self ('your own') and defense ('protection'). So self-defense means protecting yourself from physical harm, often by using force.