spring to somebody’s defence | meaning of spring to somebody’s defence in Longman Dictionary of Contemporary English | LDOCE

From Longman Dictionary of Contemporary Englishspring to somebody’s defencespring to somebody’s defenceDEFENDto quickly defend someone who is being criticized  Charlene sprang immediately to her son’s defence. → springExamples from the Corpusspring to somebody’s defence• Equally notable figures will spring to the defence of the secret deal, however.