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Definition of Offensive
1. Adjective. Violating or tending to violate or offend against. "Considered such depravity offensive against all laws of humanity"
Similar to: Offending
Derivative terms: Offend, Offensiveness, Violate, Violate, Violate
2. Noun. The action of attacking an enemy.
Generic synonyms: Military Operation, Operation
Specialized synonyms: Counteroffensive, Dirty War, Push Back, Rollback
3. Adjective. For the purpose of attack rather than defense. "Offensive weapons"
Similar to: Antipersonnel, Assaultive, Attacking, Hit-and-run, Tip-and-run, Incursive, Invading, Invasive, Marauding, Predatory, Raiding, On The Offensive
Antonyms: Defensive
4. Adjective. Causing anger or annoyance. "Offensive remarks"
Also: Harmful, Disrespectful
Similar to: Abusive, Opprobrious, Scurrilous
Antonyms: Inoffensive
Derivative terms: Offend, Offend, Offensiveness
5. Adjective. Morally offensive. "An unsavory scandal"
Similar to: Odoriferous
Derivative terms: Offend, Offend, Offensiveness, Unsavoriness
Antonyms: Savory
6. Adjective. Unpleasant or disgusting especially to the senses. "Offensive odors"
Also: Evil, Hateful, Unpalatable, Unpleasant
Similar to: Abhorrent, Detestable, Obscene, Repugnant, Repulsive, Charnel, Ghastly, Sepulchral, Creepy, Disgustful, Disgusting, Distasteful, Foul, Loathly, Loathsome, Repellant, Repellent, Repelling, Revolting, Skanky, Wicked, Yucky, Ghoulish, Morbid, Hideous, Horrid, Horrific, Outrageous, Objectionable, Obnoxious, Rank, Scrimy, Verminous
Antonyms: Inoffensive
Derivative terms: Offend, Offensiveness
7. Adjective. Substitute a harsher or distasteful term for a mild one. "`nigger' is a dysphemistic term for `African-American'"
Derivative terms: Dysphemism, Offend, Offend, Offensiveness
Antonyms: Euphemistic
8. Adjective. Causing or able to cause nausea. "A sickening stench"
Similar to: Unwholesome
Derivative terms: Loathsomeness, Nauseatingness, Nausea, Noisomeness, Offend, Offensiveness, Sickeningness, Vileness
Definition of Offensive
1. a. Giving offense; causing displeasure or resentment; displeasing; annoying; as, offensive words.
2. n. The state or posture of one who offends or makes attack; aggressive attitude; the act of the attacking party; -- opposed to defensive.
Definition of Offensive
1. Adjective. Causing offense; arousing a visceral reaction of disgust, anger, or hatred ¹
2. Adjective. Relating to an offense or attack, as opposed to defensive. ¹
3. Adjective. (context: team sports) Having to do with play directed at scoring. ¹
4. Noun. (countable military) An attack. ¹
5. Noun. The posture of attacking or being able to attack. ¹
¹ Source: wiktionary.com
Definition of Offensive
1. [n -S]
Medical Definition of Offensive
1. 1. Giving offense; causing displeasure or resentment; displeasing; annoying; as, offensive words. 2. Giving pain or unpleasant sensations; disagreeable; revolting; noxious; as, an offensive smell; offensive sounds. "Offensive to the stomach." 3. Making the first attack; assailant; aggressive; hence, used in attacking; opposed to defensive; as, an offensive war; offensive weapons. League offensive and defensive, a leaque that requires all the parties to it to make war together against any foe, and to defend one another if attacked. Synonym: Displeasing, disagreeable, distasteful, obnoxious, abhorrent, disgusting, impertinent, rude, saucy, reproachful, opprobrious, insulting, insolent, abusive, scurrilous, assailant, attacking, invading. Offen"sively, Offen"siveness. Origin: Cf.F. Offensif. See Offend. Source: Websters Dictionary (01 Mar 1998)
Lexicographical Neighbors of Offensive
Literary usage of Offensive
Below you will find example usage of this term as found in modern and/or classical literature:
1. On War by Carl von Clausewitz, James John Graham, Frederic Natusch Maude (1908)
"CHAPTER VII THE offensive BATTLE WHAT we have said about the defensive battle
throws a strong light upon the offensive also. We there had in view that class ..."
2. Sea Power in Its Relations to the War of 1812 by Alfred Thayer MAHAN (1905)
"It will be seen, with particular reference to the latter, that the character of
the front of operations prescribed the offensive in great and concentrated ..."
3. Readers' Guide to Periodical Literature by Anna Lorraine Guthrie, Marion A. Knight, H.W. Wilson Company, Estella E. Painter (1920)
"New Statesman 8:484-5 F 24 47 offensive or defensive? Stuart-Stephens. English К
24:375-7 Ар '17 ... Spec 120:390-1 Ap 13 48 Lessons of the great offensive. ..."
4. The Lancet (1842)
"It readily decomposes, then becomes additionally offensive, ... It is not always
offensive under such circumstances, and is generally alkaline. ..."
5. The Great War by George Henry Allen, Henry C. Whitehead, French Ensor Chadwick (1919)
"CHAPTER I TENTATIVE offensive EFFORTS OF THE WESTERN ALLIES General character of
the campaign of. Probable numerical strength of the chief combatants at the ..."
6. The Law of Nations: Or, Principles of the Law of Nature, Applied to the by Emer de Vattel, Joseph Chitty (1883)
"He who is foremost in taking up arms, and attacks a >ire and of- nation that
lived in peace with him, wages offensive war. fc-nsive war. ..."
7. History of the World War by Frank Herbert Simonds (1919)
"THE RUSSIAN offensive SLOWS DOWN We have now briefly to summarize the further
phases of the Russian offensive, to narrate how it gradually lost power and ..."
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