Defensive

4 definitions found

From The Collaborative International Dictionary of English v.0.48 [gcide]:

  Defensive \De*fen"sive\, a. [Cf. F. d['e]fensif.]
     1. Serving to defend or protect; proper for defense; opposed
        to offensive; as, defensive armor.
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              A moat defensive to a house.          --Shak.


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     2. Carried on by resisting attack or aggression; -- opposed
        to offensive; as, defensive war.
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     3. In a state or posture of defense. --Milton.
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From The Collaborative International Dictionary of English v.0.48 [gcide]:

  Defensive \De*fen"sive\, n.
     That which defends; a safeguard.
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           Wars preventive, upon just fears, are true defensives.
                                                    --Bacon.
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     {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.
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From WordNet (r) 2.0 [wn]:

  defensive
       adj 1: intended or appropriate for defending against or deterring
              aggression or attack; "defensive weapons"; "a
              defensive stance" [ant: {offensive}]
       2: attempting to justify or defend in speech or writing [syn: {justificative},
           {justificatory}]
       3: serving as or appropriate for defending or protecting;
          "defensive fortifications"; "defensive dikes to protect
          against floods"
       n : an attitude of defensiveness (especially in the phrase `on
           the defensive') [syn: {defensive attitude}]

From Moby Thesaurus II by Grady Ward, 1.0 [moby-thes]:

  22 Moby Thesaurus words for "defensive":
     covering, custodial, defending, fostering, guardian, guarding,
     immunizing, parental, preventive, prophylactic, protecting,
     protective, safeguarding, screening, self-defensive,
     self-preservative, self-protective, sheltering, shielding,
     tutelary, vigilant, watchful