Thesaurus: defensive

Related headwords

Definitions

1. a. Serving to defend or protect; proper for defense; opposed to offensive; as, defensive armor.
2. a. Carried on by resisting attack or aggression; -- opposed to offensive; as, defensive war.
3. a. In a state or posture of defense.
4. n. That which defends; a safeguard.
5. adj. intended or appropriate for defending against or deterring aggression or attack
6. adj. attempting to justify or defend in speech or writing
7. n. an attitude of defensiveness
8. 1. Serving to defend or protect; proper for defense; opposed to offensive; as, defensive armor. A moat defensive to a house. Shak. 2. Carried on by resisting attack or aggression; -- opposed to offensive; as, defensive war. 3. In a state or posture of defense. Milton. That which defends; a safeguard. Wars preventive, upon just fears, are true defensive. Bacon. To be on the defensive, To stand on the defensive, to be or stand in a state or posture of defense or resistance, in opposition to aggression or attack.
9. That which defends; a safeguard.Wars preventive, upon just fears, are true defensive. Bacon.To be on the defensive, To stand on the defensive, to be or stand ina state or posture of defense or resistance, in opposition toaggression or attack.
10. j:100 n. an attitude of defensiveness (especially in the phrase `on the defensive') a. intended or appropriate for defending against or deterring aggression or attack s. attempting to justify or defend in speech or writing