defensive

de·fen·sive  (d-fnsv)

adj.

1. Intended or appropriate for defending; protective.

2.

a. Intended to withstand or deter aggression or attack: a defensive weapons system; defensive behavior.

b. Of or relating to the effort to prevent an opponent from gaining points in a game or athletic contest.

c. Performed so as to avoid risk, danger, or legal liability: defensive driving; defensive medicine,

3. Of or relating to defense.

4. Psychology Constantly protecting oneself from criticism, exposure of one's shortcomings, or other real or perceived threats to the ego.

n.

1. A means of defense.

2. An attitude or position of defense.

Idiom:

on the defensive

Prepared to withstand or counter aggression or attack.

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de·fensive·ly adv.

de·fensive·ness n.

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defensive

Adjective

1. intended for defence

2. guarding against criticism or exposure of one's failings: he can be highly defensive and wary

Noun

on the defensive in a position of defence, as in being ready to reject criticism

defensively adv

Thesaurus

Noun	1.	defensive - an attitude of defensiveness (especially in the phrase `on the defensive') defensive attitude attitude, mental attitude - a complex mental state involving beliefs and feelings and values and dispositions to act in certain ways; "he had the attitude that work was fun"
Adj.	1.	defensive - intended or appropriate for defending against or deterring aggression or attack; "defensive weapons"; "a defensive stance" protective - intended or adapted to afford protection of some kind; "a protective covering"; "the use of protective masks and equipment"; "protective coatings"; "kept the drunken sailor in protective custody"; "animals with protective coloring"; "protective tariffs" offensive - for the purpose of attack rather than defense; "offensive weapons"
	2.	defensive - attempting to justify or defend in speech or writing justificative, justificatory apologetic, excusatory - offering or expressing apology; "an apologetic note"; "an apologetic manner"

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defensive

adjective 1. protective, defending, opposing, safeguarding, watchful, on the defensive, on guard

adjective 2. oversensitive, uptight (informal)

Translations

defensive [dɪˈfɛnsɪv] adj → defensivo

n → defensiva;

on the defensive → a la defensiva

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defensive [dɪˈfɛnsɪv] adj → défensif/ive

n → défensive f;

on the defensive → sur la défensive

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defensive [dɪˈfɛnsɪv] adj → defensiv

n on the defensive → in der Defensive

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defensive [dɪˈfɛnsɪv] adj → difensivo/a

n → difensiva;

on the defensive → sulla difensiva