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Prevention vs Defence - What's the difference?

prevention | defence |

As nouns the difference between prevention and defence

is that prevention is prevention while defence is the action of defending, of protecting from attack, danger or injury.

As a verb defence is

(obsolete|transitive) to furnish with defences; to fortify.

prevention

English

Noun

  • (obsolete) The act of going, or state of being, before.
  • * Francis Bacon
    • The greater the distance, the greater the prevention .
  • (obsolete) Anticipation; especially, anticipation of needs, wishes, hazards and risks; hence, precaution; forethought.
    • (Hammond)
    (Shakespeare)
  • The act of preventing or hindering; obstruction of action, access, or approach; thwarting.
    • (South)
  • * Shakespeare
    • Casca, be sudden, for we fear prevention .

    defence

    English

    Alternative forms

    * defense (US )

    Noun

    (en noun)
  • The action of defending, of protecting from attack, danger or injury.
  • * Shakespeare
    • In cases of defence 'tis best to weigh / The enemy more mighty than he seems.
  • Something used to oppose attack(s).
  • * 1592—1609 , , Sonnet XII:
    • And nothing 'gainst Time's scythe can make defence
    Save breed, to brave him when he takes thee hence.
  • An argument in support or justification of something.
  • * 1592—1609 , , Sonnet LXXXIX:
    • Speak of my lameness, and I straight will halt,
    Against thy reasons making no defence .
  • A strategy and tactics employed to prevent the other team from scoring; contrasted with offence.
  • The portion of a team dedicated to preventing the other team from scoring; contrasted with offence.
  • Government policy or (infra)structure related to the military.
    • Department of Defence
  • Prohibition; a prohibitory ordinance.
  • * Sir W. Temple
    • Severe defences against wearing any linen under a certain breadth.

    Synonyms

    * See

    Antonyms

    * offence (Commonwealth), offense (US)

    Derived terms

    * antidefence, antidefense * ecodefence, ecodefense * Nuremberg defence, Nuremberg defense * defensive * defensiveness

    Verb

    (defenc)
  • (obsolete) To furnish with defences; to fortify.
  • * Hales:
    • Better manned and more strongly defenced .