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defenseless

adjective

  1. unprotected/unguarded
L335878 on Wikidata ↗

Wiktionary

Pronunciation: /dɪˈfɛnsləs/

adj

Etymology: Etymology tree English defense Proto-Indo-European *lewh₁- Proto-Indo-European *lewHs-der. Proto-Germanic *leusaną Proto-Germanic *lausaz Proto-Germanic *-lausaz Proto-West Germanic *-laus Old English -lēas Middle English -les English -less English defenseless From defense + -less.

  1. Lacking any form of defense; vulnerable; open to attack.

    Her look, her attitude, her words were eloquent of the age-old appeal of defenseless woman to her natural protector—man.

    On the port tack layline , you're defenseless against starboard tackers — you have to dip them , no matter how much you may lose doing it — and the wind shadow of boats spinnakering away from the mark can cost you plenty.