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]

English

Adjective

defensive

1. Intended for defence; protective
   • A defensive perimeter
2. Intended to deter attack
   • A defensive missile system
3. Performed so as to minimise risk
   • Defensive driving
4. Displaying an inordinate sensitivity to criticism; compare paranoid
5. Of a bowling or fielding tactic designed to prevent the other side from scoring runs.; of a batting tactic designed to prevent being out.

Translations

• French: défensif
• German: defensiv
• Greek: αμυντικός
• Spanish: defensivo

Noun

defensive

1. A means, attitude or position of defense.

Related terms

• on the defensive

Defense or defence (see -ce/-se) may refer to:

The tactics and strategy of defending against attack:

• Defense (military)
• Defense (sport)
  • Defender (football), a specialist defensive player in association football
  • Defenceman (ice hockey), a specialist defensive player in ice hockey
• a Chess opening as created in reply by Black
• Defense (legal)
• Self-defense
• Civil defense

In politics and economics:

• National security
  • Defense minister
• International security
• The defense industry
  • Defense contractor, a company that provides defense-related services

Concepts in law:

• Self-defense (theory)
• Defense of property

In psychology:

• Defence mechanism

It may also refer to:

• A euphemism for war or the military
• Defense of a doctoral thesis, also called viva voce; see Thesis committee
• La Défense, a business district in Paris
• The Grande Arche, commonly known as Arche de la Défense, a monument in the Parisian district of the same name
• 'DeFence', an interactive conceptual art project for freedom of cohabitation
• The Haganah (in Hebrew: "The Defence"), a paramilitary organization in British Palestine
• Tower defense, a genre of video game
• The pharmaceutical Cimetidine, used for treating gastric ulcers

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