plural of homosexual panic defense

plural of man-to-man defense

(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.

(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.

(gaming) A special move used to defend against damage. / (gaming) The capacity of a character of defending against damage through special defenses.

(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.

(US) A lawyer who regularly represents defendants who have insurance and is chosen by the insurance company. / (US) A lawyer who regularly represents criminal defendants.

(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.

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

(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.