Definition of Defensive

Babylon English Dictionary

protective, watchful, on guard

attitude of defense, position of defense

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Defensive Definition from Language, Idioms & Slang Dictionaries & Glossaries

English English Dictionaries

Webster's Revised Unabridged Dictionary (1913)

(n.)
That which defends; a safeguard.

(a.)
Serving to defend or protect; proper for defense; opposed to offensive; as, defensive armor.

(a.)
In a state or posture of defense.

(a.)
Carried on by resisting attack or aggression; -- opposed to offensive; as, defensive war.

Webster's Revised Unabridged Dictionary (1913), edited by Noah Porter. About

hEnglish - advanced version

defensive
\de*fen"sive\ (?), a. [cf. f. défensif.]
1. serving to defend or protect; proper for defense; opposed to offensive; as, defensive armor. a moat defensive to a house.
2. carried on by resisting attack or aggression; -- opposed to offensive; as, defensive war.
3. in a state or posture of defense.
defensive
\de*fen"sive\, n. that which defends; a safeguard. wars preventive, upon just fears, are true defensives.

similar words(4)

to be on the defensive
defensive proteid
to stand on the defensive
league offensive and defensive

for Vocabulary Exams of KPDS, YDS,UDS (in Turkey); and SAT in America

Carried on in resistance to aggression

Welsh Dictionaries

JM Welsh <=> English Dictionary

Differiol = a. defensive

Diffynol = a. defensive

Thesaurus Dictionaries

WordNet 2.0

Noun
1. an attitude of defensiveness (especially in the phrase `on the defensive')
(synonym) defensive attitude
(hypernym) attitude, mental attitude

Adjective
1. intended or appropriate for defending against or deterring aggression or attack; "defensive weapons"; "a defensive stance"
(antonym) offensive
(similar) antiaircraft
(see-also) protective
2. attempting to justify or defend in speech or writing
(synonym) justificative, justificatory
(similar) apologetic, excusatory
3. serving as or appropriate for defending or protecting; "defensive fortifications"; "defensive dikes to protect against floods"
(similar) protective

Defensive Definition from Encyclopedia Dictionaries & Glossaries

Wikipedia Dictionaries

Wikipedia English - The Free Encyclopedia