defensive

defensive
—defensively, adv. —defensiveness, n.
/di fen"siv/, adj.
1. serving to defend; protective: defensive armament.
2. made or carried on for the purpose of resisting attack: defensive treaty; a defensive attitude.
3. of or pertaining to defense.
4. (of stocks, securities, etc.)
a. able to provide moderately steady growth with minimal risk: The bank has put a large percentage of its assets in defensive rather than growth stocks.
b. considered stable and relatively safe for investment, esp. during a decline in the economy.
5. excessively concerned with guarding against the real or imagined threat of criticism, injury to one's ego, or exposure of one's shortcomings.
n.
6. a position or attitude of defense: to be on the defensive about one's mistakes.
7. Obs. something that serves to defend.
[1350-1400; < ML defensivus (see DEFENSE, -IVE); r. ME defensif < MF < ML, as above]

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Universalium. 2010.

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  • défensive — ● défensive nom féminin Ensemble de mesures permettant d éviter ou de réduire l effet d une agression. Attitude adoptée par le commandement et qui, se limitant à parer les entreprises de l adversaire, lui abandonne provisoirement l initiative des …   Encyclopédie Universelle

  • defensive — Ⅰ. defensive UK US /dɪˈfensɪv/ adjective ► FINANCE, STOCK MARKET an investment that is defensive is very safe, with little or no risk, and its value does not change very much over a period of time: »a defensive share/stock ► trying to protect… …   Financial and business terms

  • 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. [1913 Webster] A moat defensive to a house. Shak. [1913 Webster] 2. Carried on by resisting attack or… …   The Collaborative International Dictionary of English

  • defensive — de·fen·sive adj 1: serving to defend or as part of a defense a defensive pleading 2: devoted to resisting or preventing aggressive actions a defensive recapitalization...to escape a takeover attempt Barbara Franklin de·fen·sive·ly adv …   Law dictionary

  • Defensive — De*fen sive, n. That which defends; a safeguard. [1913 Webster] Wars preventive, upon just fears, are true defensives. Bacon. [1913 Webster] {To be on the defensive}, {To stand on the defensive}, to be or stand in a state or posture of defense or …   The Collaborative International Dictionary of English

  • defensive — ► ADJECTIVE 1) used or intended to defend or protect. 2) very anxious to challenge or avoid criticism. ● on the defensive Cf. ↑on the defensive DERIVATIVES defensively adverb defensiveness noun …   English terms dictionary

  • defensive — [dē fen′siv, difen′siv] adj. [ME & OFr defensif < ML defensivus < L defensus: see DEFENSE] 1. defending 2. of or for defense 3. designating or of the side that defends a goal, basket, etc. in a contest 4. Psychol. constantly feeling under… …   English World dictionary

  • Defensive — (v. lat.), die Vertheidigung gegen einen Feind, sofern sie der Offensive, dem Angriff, entgegengesetzt ist …   Pierer's Universal-Lexikon

  • Defensive — (lat.), die Form kriegerischer Tätigkeit, bei der es, im Gegensatz zur Offensive (s.d.), auf Verteidigung, nicht auf Angriff abgesehen ist. Die D. hat durch die Verbesserung der Waffen außerordentlich an Kraft gewonnen, dennoch wird man aus ihr… …   Meyers Großes Konversations-Lexikon

  • defensive — c.1400 (adj. and noun), from Fr. défensif (14c.), from M.L. defensivus, from defens , pp. stem of L. defendere (see DEFEND (Cf. defend)). Of persons, alert to reject criticism, from 1919. Related: Defensively; defensiveness …   Etymology dictionary

  • defensive — [adj] protective, watchful arresting, averting, balking, checking, conservative, coping with, defending, foiling, forestalling, frustrating, guarding, in opposition, interrupting, opposing, preservative, preventive, protecting, resistive,… …   New thesaurus

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