A type of
defensive scheme in virtually any sport that involves one team's players attempting to prevent the other team's players from receiving the
ball (or
puck, or whatever object is passed back and forth in the particular sport). In a man to man defense, each
defender picks an individual player on the other team to
guard and to prevent from receiving the ball, and stays with that player whereever he or she may roam on the playing surface while the attacking team has
possession.
Contrast this to zone defense.