a variable quantity that can be resolved into components
any agent (person or animal or microorganism) that carries and transmits a disease; "mosquitos are vectors of malaria and yellow fever"; "fleas are vectors of the plague"; "aphids are transmitters of plant diseases"; "when medical scientists talk about vectors they are usually talking about insects"
a straight line segment whose length is magnitude and whose orientation in space is direction
a score in American football; a player is tackled behind his own goal line
a safe place; "He ran to safety"
the state of being certain that adverse effects will not be caused by some agent under defined conditions; "insure the safety of the children"; "the reciprocal of safety is risk"
the meteorological conditions: temperature and wind and clouds and precipitation; "they were hoping for good weather"; "every day we have weather conditions and yesterday was no exception"
change under the action or influence of the weather; "A weathered old hut"
sail to the windward of
cause to slope
face or endure with courage; "She braved the elements"
protection from harm; "sanitation is the best defense against disease"
military action or resources protecting a country against potential enemies; "they died in the defense of Stalingrad"; "they were developed for the defense program"
a defendant's answer or plea denying the truth of the charges against him; "he gave evidence for the defense"
the justification for some act or belief; "he offered a persuasive defense of the theory"
an organization of defenders that provides resistance against attack; "he joined the defense against invasion"
the defendant and his legal advisors collectively; "the defense called for a mistrial"
(sports) the team that is trying to prevent the other team from scoring; "his teams are always good on defense"