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defensive
defensive definition
de·fen·sive (dē fen′siv, di-)
adjective
- defending
- of or for defense
- designating or of the side that defends a goal, basket, etc. in a contest
- Psychol. constantly feeling under attack and hence quick to justify one's actions
Etymology: ME & OFr defensif < ML defensivus < L defensus: see defense
noun
- Obsolete something that defends
- a position of defense: chiefly in the phrase on the defensive, in a condition of resisting or being ready to resist attack or danger
Related Forms:
- defensively de·fen′·sively adverb
- defensiveness de·fen′·sive·ness noun
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