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Justify vs Defence - What's the difference?

justify | defence |

As verbs the difference between justify and defence

is that justify is to provide an acceptable explanation for while defence is to furnish with defences; to fortify.

As a noun defence is

the action of defending, of protecting from attack, danger or injury.

justify

English

Alternative forms

* justifie (obsolete)

Verb

  • To provide an acceptable explanation for.
    • How can you justify spending so much money on clothes?
    Paying too much for car insurance is not justified .
  • To be a good, acceptable reason for; warrant.
    • Nothing can justify your rude behaviour last night.
  • * E. Everett
    • Unless the oppression is so extreme as to justify' revolution, it would not ' justify the evil of breaking up a government.
  • To arrange (text) on a page or a computer screen such that the left and right ends of all lines within paragraphs are aligned.
    • The text will look better justified .
  • To absolve, and declare to be free of blame or sin
  • * Shakespeare
    • I cannot justify whom the law condemns.
  • * Bible, Acts xiii. 39
    • By him all that believe are justified' from all things, from which ye could not be ' justified by the law of Moses.
  • To prove; to ratify; to confirm.
    • (Shakespeare)

    Related terms

    * -fy * just * justification * justifiable * justifiably * unjustified

    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 .