plural of defense in depth

(psychology) A psychological strategy used unconsciously by people to cope with harmful or stressful situations. / (evolutionary biology) An automatic reaction of the body against foreign antibodies.

plural of defensive design

(computing) The practice of planning for contingencies in the design stage of a project so as to make the misuse of the software impossible, or to minimise the negative consequences.

(programming) A form of defensive design aiming to ensure the continuing functioning of a piece of software in spite of unforeseeable usage of it.

(Canadian football) A defensive back whose primary jobs are to cover the slotback on passing plays and prevent running plays from going to the outside.

(American football, Canadian football) Collective term for the defensive players who are in position farthest from the ball at the start of a play and whose principal responsibility is to defend against passes. Includes cornerbacks and safeties in both codes, and defensive halfbacks in the Canadian game.

(ethics, international law, idiomatic) An explanation offered as an excuse for behaving in a criminal or wrongful manner, claiming that one acted in this way because one was ordered by others (particularly superiors) to do so.

plural of defense mechanism

(team sports) Any defense intended to prevent rapid scoring by the offense, at the expense of allowing relatively easy, slower scoring.