(a) Act of defending oneself (or sb. else) by fighting, defense; comen to ~, to come to someone's defense; don ~, maken ~, stonden at ~, to defend oneself; also, to fight; for (in) ~ of, for the defense of (sth.); with gret ~, with a stubborn defense, with hard fighting; (b) fig. spiritual or intellectual defense; defense (against Fortune, temptation, vice, etc.); (c) oral or written defense; support (for an opinion); argument to justify (a sin); (d) resistance; feren with ~, to resist, proceed defensively.

(a) arm of ~, wepen of (to) ~, a warlike weapon; doublet of ~, a soldier's doublet; folk of ~, peple of ~, fighting men; freke of ~, man of ~, a warrior; gin of ~, an engine of war; jakke of ~, a coat or jacket of a soldier; knight of ~, a warlike knight; ship of ~, a warship; of gret ~, strong or skillful in fighting, very warlike; (b) arraien to ~, to prepare (oneself) to fight; ful of ~, great capacity for fighting; in his (our) ~, to defend himself (ourselves), in self-defense.

(a) Sheltering from enemies, protecting; fortification; (b) of gret (noble) ~, affording great (noble) protection, strongly fortified; of (at) no ~, affording no protection; ?transparent [quot.: c1430]; abbeie (cite, stede, tour) of ~, a fortified abbey (city, place, tower).

(a) A fortified place, fortification; refuge, stronghold; (b) a shield, covering; (c) a weapon, means of defense; (d) fig. a defense (against criticism, death, spiritual enemies, etc.); the assurance provided by a seal; (e) custody, guardianship; care, keeping; taken in (into) ~, to become guardian or patron of (sb.); (f) ?a fence [cp. fens n., 3.(a)].

(a) One who protects, a defender; -- also coll.: defenders; withouten ~, without defender(s, defenseless; (b) in proverb.

(a) A forbidding, a prohibition; a law or commandment that forbids; ayen(es ~, against (someone's) orders; breken ~, to disobey (someone's) prohibition; (b) a prohibited thing; (c) an offense; don ~ (to), to commit an offense, offend (sb.).

(a) Warding off, preventing; in ~ of, to ward off (sb.); (b) law defense against a suit or an accusation; withouten ~, without an opportunity to defend oneself, without a hearing; (c) med. & surg. a preventive measure against disease; also, a protective medicine or ointment.

Punishment.

withouten (ani) ~, without denial or hindrance; ?undoubtedly, assuredly.