| a. | 1. | Serving, or suitable, for defense; defensive. |
| 2. | Making defense. | |
| n. | 1. | One who defends; a defender. |
| 2. | (Law) A person required to make answer in an action or suit; - opposed to plaintiff. |
| Noun | 1. | defendant - a person or institution against whom an action is brought in a court of law; the person being sued or accused Synonyms: suspect Antonyms: complainant, plaintiff - a person who brings an action in a court of law |
DEFENDANT. A party who is sued in a personal action. Vide Demandant; Parties
to Actions; Pursuer; and Com. Dig. Abatement, F; Action upon the case upon
assumpsit, E, b; Bouv. Inst. Index, h.t.
2. At common law a defendant cannot have judgment to recover a sum of
money of the plaintiff. But this rule is, in some cases, altered by the act
of assembly in Pennsylvania, as by the. Act of 1705, for defalcation, by
which he may sue out a sci. fac. on the record of a verdict for a sum found
in his favor. 6 Binn. Rep. 175. See Account 6.