offensive (redirected from go on the offensive)

of·fen·sive  (-fnsv)

adj.

1. Disagreeable to the senses: an offensive odor.

2. Causing anger, displeasure, resentment, or affront: an offensive gesture.

3.

a. Making an attack: The offensive troops gained ground quickly.

b. Of, relating to, or designed for attack: offensive weapons.

4. (fn-) Sports Of or relating to a team having possession of a ball or puck: the offensive line.

n.

1. An attitude or position of attack: go on the offensive in chess.

2. An attack or assault: led a massive military offensive.

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of·fensive·ly adv.

of·fensive·ness n.

Synonyms: offensive, disgusting, loathsome, nasty, repellent, repulsive, revolting, vile
These adjectives mean extremely unpleasant to the senses or feelings: an offensive remark; disgusting language; a loathsome disease; a nasty smell; a repellent demand; repulsive behavior; revolting food; vile thoughts. See Also Synonyms at hateful.

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offensive [əˈfɛnsɪv]

adj

1. unpleasant or disgusting, as to the senses

2. causing anger or annoyance; insulting

3. for the purpose of attack rather than defence

n

1. (usually preceded by the) an attitude or position of aggression

2. (Military) an assault, attack, or military initiative, esp a strategic one

offensively  adv

offensiveness  n

Thesaurus

Noun	1.	offensive - the action of attacking an enemy     offence, offense military operation, operation - activity by a military or naval force (as a maneuver or campaign); "it was a joint operation of the navy and air force" counteroffensive - a large scale offensive (more than a counterattack) undertaken by a defending force to seize the initiative from an attacking force dirty war - an offensive conducted by secret police or the military of a regime against revolutionary and terrorist insurgents and marked by the use of kidnapping and torture and murder with civilians often being the victims; "thousands of people disappeared and were killed during Argentina's dirty war in the late 1970s" push back, rollback - the act of forcing the enemy to withdraw
Adj.	1.	offensive - violating or tending to violate or offend against; "violative of the principles of liberty"; "considered such depravity offensive against all laws of humanity" violative offending - offending against or breaking a law or rule; "contracts offending against the statute were canceled"
	2.	offensive - for the purpose of attack rather than defense; "offensive weapons" aggressive - having or showing determination and energetic pursuit of your ends; "an aggressive businessman"; "an aggressive basketball player"; "he was aggressive and imperious; positive in his convictions"; "aggressive drivers" hostile - characterized by enmity or ill will; "a hostile nation"; "a hostile remark"; "hostile actions" defensive - intended or appropriate for defending against or deterring aggression or attack; "defensive weapons"; "a defensive stance"
	3.	offensive - causing anger or annoyance; "offensive remarks" harmful - causing or capable of causing harm; "too much sun is harmful to the skin"; "harmful effects of smoking" disrespectful - exhibiting lack of respect; rude and discourteous; "remarks disrespectful of the law"; "disrespectful in the presence of his parents"; "disrespectful toward his teacher" inoffensive, unoffending - not causing anger or annoyance; "inoffensive behavior"
	4.	offensive - morally offensive; "an unsavory reputation"; "an unsavory scandal" unsavory, unsavoury
	5.	offensive - unpleasant or disgusting especially to the senses; "offensive odors" evil - morally bad or wrong; "evil purposes"; "an evil influence"; "evil deeds" hateful - evoking or deserving hatred; "no vice is universally as hateful as ingratitude"- Joseph Priestly unpalatable - not pleasant or acceptable to the taste or mind; "an unpalatable meal"; "unpalatable truths"; "unpalatable behavior" unpleasant - disagreeable to the senses, to the mind, or feelings ; "an unpleasant personality"; "unpleasant repercussions"; "unpleasant odors" inoffensive - giving no offense; "a quiet inoffensive man"; "a refreshing inoffensive stimulant"
	6.	offensive - substitute a harsher or distasteful term for a mild one ; "`nigger' is a dysphemistic term for `African-American'" dysphemistic
	7.	offensive - causing or able to cause nausea; "a nauseating smell"; "nauseous offal"; "a sickening stench" loathsome, nauseating, nauseous, noisome, queasy, sickening, vile unwholesome - detrimental to physical or moral well-being; "unwholesome food"; "unwholesome habits like smoking"

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offensive

adjective

1. insulting, rude, abusive, embarrassing, slighting, annoying, irritating, degrading, affronting, contemptuous, disparaging, displeasing, objectionable, disrespectful, scurrilous, detestable, discourteous, uncivil, unmannerly offensive remarks about minority groups
insulting civil, polite, conciliatory, respectful, courteous, deferential

2. disgusting, gross, nasty, foul, unpleasant, revolting, stinking, sickening, vile, repellent, unsavoury, obnoxious, unpalatable, objectionable, disagreeable, nauseating, odious, repugnant, loathsome, abominable, grotty (slang), detestable, noisome, yucky or yukky (slang) the offensive smell of manure
disgusting attractive, charming, pleasant, delightful, captivating, agreeable

3. attacking, threatening, aggressive, striking, hostile, invading, combative The troops were in an offensive position.
attacking defensive

noun

attack, charge, campaign, strike, push (informal), rush, assault, raid, drive, invasion, onslaught, foray, incursion The armed forces have launched an offensive to recapture lost ground.

Translations

offensive [əˈfensɪv]

A. ADJ

1. (= causing offence, unpleasant) [behaviour, book, joke] → ofensivo; [remark, language] → ofensivo, insultante; [smell] → muy desagradable
to find sth/sb offensive → encontrar algo/a algn ofensivo
he doesn't mean to be offensive → no pretende ofender
to be offensive to sb → ofender a algn

2. (Mil) [operation, action, capability] → ofensivo

3. (Sport) [player, play] → de ataque

B. N (Comm, Mil, Sport) → ofensiva f
an advertising offensive → una ofensiva publicitaria
to be on the offensive → estar a la ofensiva
to go on the offensive → pasar a la ofensiva, pasar al ataque
to launch an offensive → lanzar una ofensiva
a sales offensive → una ofensiva de ventas
to take the offensive → tomar la ofensiva

C. CPD offensive weapon N (Jur) → arma f ofensiva (Mil) → arma f de ataque

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offensive [əˈfɛnsɪv]

adj

[remark, gesture, behaviour, show, film] → offensant(e)
to be offensive to sb → être offensant envers qn offensive material

[smell] → très déplaisant(e)

(MILITARY) [operations, action] → offensif/ive

(= attacking) [team, play] → offensif/ive

n

(= attack) → offensive f
a two-week military offensive → une offensive militaire de deux semaines
to go on the offensive → passer à l'offensive
to take the offensive (fig) → passer à l'offensive
offensive material n (on internet) → contenu m inapproprié
offensive weapon n → arme f offensive

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offensive

adj

(Jur) → Angriffs-; (Mil) → Offensiv-; action → offensiv; offensive play (Sport) → Offensivspiel nt; offensive player → Offensivspieler(in) m(f)

(= unpleasant) smell, sight → übel, abstoßend, widerlich; language, film, book → anstößig, Anstoß erregend; (= insulting, abusive) remark, gesture, behaviour → beleidigend, unverschämt; his language was offensive to his parents → seine Ausdrucksweise erregte Anstoß bei seinen Eltern; to find somebody/something offensive → jdn/etw abstoßend finden; behaviour, language → Anstoß an etw (dat) → nehmen; he was offensive to her → er beleidigte sie; I don’t mean to be offensive → ich möchte nicht beleidigend wirken; there’s no need to get offensive → kein Grund, ausfällig or ausfallend zu werden

n (Mil, Sport) → Angriff m, → Offensive f; to take the offensive → in die Offensive gehen; to go over or on to the offensive → zum Angriff übergehen; on the offensive → in der Offensive; to mount an offensive (against somebody/something) → eine Offensive (gegen jdn/etw) starten

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offensive [əˈfɛnsɪv]

1. adj

a. (causing offence, unpleasant, behaviour, remark) → offensivo/a; (person) → antipatico/a; (smell, sight) → sgradevole
to be offensive to sb → offendere qn

b. (attacking) → offensivo/a

2. n (Mil, Sport) → offensiva
to go over to or go on or take the offensive → passare all'offensiva

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offensive [əˈfɛnsɪv]

1. adj

a. (causing offence, unpleasant, behaviour, remark) → offensivo/a; (person) → antipatico/a; (smell, sight) → sgradevole
to be offensive to sb → offendere qn

b. (attacking) → offensivo/a

2. n (Mil, Sport) → offensiva
to go over to or go on or take the offensive → passare all'offensiva

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offensive → مسيء odporný fornærmende widerlich προσβλητικός ofensivo vastenmielinen offensif uvredljiv offensivo 嫌な 불쾌하게 하는 offensief offensiv cuchnący ofensivo оскорбительный anstötlig ซึ่งทำให้ขุ่นเคือง saldırgan khó chịu 无礼的