Definitions

from The Century Dictionary.

  • noun In Irish history, one of an association of Roman Catholics organized in the north of Ireland in the eighteenth century to oppose the Protestants who had organized as Peep-o'-day Boys or Orangemen.
  • noun One who defends; one who protects from injury; a champion.
  • noun One who maintains, supports, or vindicates by force or argument.
  • noun In Scots law, the defendant; the party against whom the conclusions of a process or action are directed.

from the GNU version of the Collaborative International Dictionary of English.

  • noun One who defends; one who maintains, supports, protects, or vindicates; a champion; an advocate; a vindicator.

from Wiktionary, Creative Commons Attribution/Share-Alike License.

  • noun Someone who defends people or property.
  • noun law A lawyer who represents defendants.
  • noun A fighter who repels an attack.
  • noun sports One of the players whose primary task is to prevent the opposition from scoring.

from WordNet 3.0 Copyright 2006 by Princeton University. All rights reserved.

  • noun a fighter who holds out against attack
  • noun a person who cares for persons or property

Etymologies

from Wiktionary, Creative Commons Attribution/Share-Alike License

to defend + -er.

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Examples

  • So I have nothing to lose playing Federer, who's the title defender here.

    NYT > Home Page By THE ASSOCIATED PRESS 2011

  • So I have nothing to lose playing Federer, who's the title defender here.

    Yahoo! News: Business - Opinion 2011

  • Of course, I was under pressure as the title defender but I trained really well and now I can't believe I have won for the second time in a row at the London Marathon.

    IAAF.org - News 2009

  • 'And of course, every successful completion of these individual steps makes us look forward to the' Dakar 'in Argentina and Chile, which as the title defender we want to again decide in our favour, with even greater anticipation.

    unknown title 2009

  • Of course, I was under pressure as the title defender but I trained really well and now I can't believe I have won for the second time in a row at the London Marathon.

    IAAF.org - News 2009

  • In particular, Beamer was upset with chop blocks below the knees when a defender is already engaged with another blocker and crack-back blocks in which a lineman blindsides a defensive player below the knees (safety Kam Chancellor was the target of this on several plays).

    Another look at last year's chop block controversy Mark Giannotto 2010

  • "When I feel like I can make threes from anywhere on the floor," said McGrady, who went 6-of-10 from behind the arc, "my defender is at my mercy."

    USATODAY.com - Houston hits on all cylinders in Game 6 pounding of Mavs 2005

  • I'm happy to be starting into the season there as the title defender for the second time. "

    PaddockTalk Racing News 2010

  • With the personnel shortage, United will be allowed to add a defender from a lower-division club not involved in the playoffs.

    D.C. United news & notes: player shortage, trialist Steve Goff 2010

  • Bet the media ain't bringing that up to show this confederate flag defender is nothing but a scum bag ....

    CNN Poll of Polls: Obama approval holding steady 2009

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