What is "self-defense"

Usage examples of "self-defense".

The planet itself seemed to veil its face gradually with distended cirrocumuli, as if in self-defense against the incredibly thin and yet so destructive ray, which jabbed at the remaining shards of ice as they sank into the atmosphere.

And from the moment that the Senate had been unofficially apprised by Nani that the terrible Interdict was already printed and would presently be fulminated, every possible precaution of self-defense had been put in operation throughout the dominions of Venice, with an ingenuity, a foresight, and a celerity which the watching courts of Europe not only viewed with amazement, but accepted as an evidence of the conscious power and justice of the Republic.

Charter, which invokes the rights to collective security and self-defense.

The Stinkers never did anything indictable and they killed only in self-defense.

Straining muscles and a sudden move which sent the instructor cold mask first into a crusted drift to come up with hate in his eyes and hands dealing blows which, if landed, would have maimed, and Lex dancing, always just out of reach, until, in self-defense, he had to level the man to stand over him, chest heaving, as a silence hung over the parade ground and trainees stood fearfully at attention waiting for a lightning bolt to strike down the man who had dared best an instructor.

The first was a guarantee of Yycroman intent to use the warships they were creating exclusively for self-defense against the Conquerors.

Since early 1999, Iraqi air defense forces have been shooting at coalition planes patrolling the no-fly zones on an almost daily basis, provoking the coalition pilots to respond in self-defense from time to time.

There is a great deal of debate over the concept of anticipatory self-defense, with some scholars arguing that it is illegal because it contradicts long-standing criteria for self-defense established in 1837.

Perhaps of greater importance, accepted or not, anticipatory self-defense has been used by various nations many times over the past fifty years.

Afghanistan as invocations of self-defense more consistent with the standards of anticipatory self-defense than with the 1837 standards.

NATO invoked anticipatory self-defense to justify the 1999 war over Kosovo.

Or, he could rid himself of Baden on the plain, justify it as self-defense, and accuse the dead Owl-Master of collaborating with the traitor Orris.

Pat Birmingham was sticking to his straight self-defense position, and Steve Briggs was homing in on the many versions Liysa had given about the night of October 9.

The two rather self-centered and somewhat irrational archimages, intent on and vastly enamored of their private war—though they were undoubtedly the cunningest and wisest sorcerers ever to exist in the World of Nehwon—were entirely adamant against the very sound four arguments Fafhrd and the Gray Mouser advanced in their self-defense: one, that they had stuck to the magician-set rules by first making certain to get the Mask of Death (or as much as they could of it) out of the Shadowland at whatever personal cost to themselves and diminishment of their self-respect.

The two rather self-centered and somewhat irrational archimages, intent on and vastly enamored of their private war -- though they were undoubtedly the cunningest and wisest sorcerers ever to exist in the World of Nehwon -- were entirely adamant against the very sound four arguments Fafhrd and the Gray Mouser advanced in their self-defense: one, that they had stuck to the magician-set rules by first making certain to get the Mask of Death (or as much as they could of it) out of the Shadowland at whatever personal cost to themselves and diminishment of their self-respect.