defend算是support還是oppose

不好意思，問了個笨問題，想請教defend算是support還是oppose, 我之前一直以為defend就是oppose所以在做BF題時常常做錯，後來才了解好像defend其實是意味support... 煩請大家幫忙解答一下，有一例句如下:

The first provides evidence in support of an intermediate conclusion that is drawn to provide support for the overall position that the historian defends; the second provides evidence against that intermediate conclusion

謝謝了~

不會吧~ 真的沒人要理我~~拜託一下好心人回覆一下啦~~

Defend应该是Support，想想NBA，防守一方的球迷总是一起喊着defend为自己的球队加油。：）

position that the historian defends

means historian defends the position.

means historian holds the suggestion.

I think these will help you. Defend, a word, doesn't mean support or weaken the conclusion ; however, it depends on the content following it.

defend有辩护的意思,所以是support