Idiom:  spring to someone's defense

Meaning

Idiom:  spring to someone's defense

  • to quickly defend someone who's being criticized or attacked


Notes

— The attack can be verbal or physical.

— The verb "spring" is irregular:

  • Present:  spring
  • Simple past:  sprang (sprung is also normally also accepted)
  • Past participle:  sprung

Example sentences

— When the thief grabbed my purse, another passenger on the bus sprang to my defense and tackled him at the door before he could escape.

— I just sat there trying to explain the figures to the client until finally my boss arrived and sprang to my defense.

— Her husband springs to her defense if anyone says a negative word about her.

— I waited for someone on my team to spring to my defense but everyone was silent while the coach accused me of not doing my best.

— It felt weird to spring to Sarah's defense since I despise her. However, I felt like I had to because she worked very hard on this project with little help from the team.

— In two seconds, the boss sprang to our client's defense, without fully understanding the situation.

— Don't ever say a negative word about the director's secretary. No matter what the issue is, he'll spring to her defense and criticize you instead.

— I was so grateful that another student sprang to my defense when I tried to explain to the teacher that I was late because the police had closed off the parking lot.

— I noticed you didn't exactly spring to my defense this morning at the meeting.

— After we posted the wrong picture of the late Congressman John Lewis, a number of our clients sprang to our defense saying everyone makes mistakes.

— We're really pleased that our boss always springs to our defense when anyone criticizes our work.

— I suggest that next time you speak with your son before immediately springing to his defense. Allegations against him have been correct three times in a row now.

— My assistant sprang to my defense about the report figures at the board meeting. She even said she made the errors when they were actually mine.

— Wow, his wife took no time to clarify the matter. Would you spring to my defense like that?

— My supervisor gave me a box of chocolates. He said he's grateful for all the times I have sprung to his defense.

— When two boys started bullying a girl on the metro, I wish I had immediately sprung to her defense but I was too scared. But at the next stop, I switched cars and used the emergency intercom to call for security.


Synonyms

  • come/rush to someone's defense
  • stand up for
  • look out for someone
  • have someone's back

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