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defensive

adjective
 
🔊/dɪˈfensɪv/
🔊/dɪˈfensɪv/
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  1.  
    protecting somebody/something against attack防御的；保护的；保卫的
    • As a defensive measure he built a series of coastal forts and watchtowers.作为一种防御措施，他建造了一系列海岸要塞和瞭望塔。
    • These are purely defensive measures.这些纯粹是防御措施。
    • Troops took up a defensive position around the town.部队在全城采取了守势。🔊🔊
    compare offensive
    Oxford Collocations Dictionaryverbs
    • be
    adverb
    • purely
    • essentially
    • largely
    • …
    See full entry
  2.  
    behaving in a way that shows that you feel that people are criticizing you戒备的；怀有戒心的；自卫的
    • Don't ask him about his plans—he just gets defensive.别问他有什么计划，他老存有戒心。🔊🔊
    • He is extremely defensive about his work.一谈起他的工作他就变得极有戒心。
    • Her manner was oddly defensive, as he hadn't intended any criticism at all.她那种防备的态度真是莫名其妙，因为他一点批评她的意思都没有。
    • Whenever anyone mentions women's rights, he gets rather defensive.不论何时有人提及女权问题，他就变得戒心重重。
    Oxford Collocations Dictionaryverbs
    • be
    • feel
    • look
    • …
    adverb
    • extremely
    • fairly
    • very
    • …
    preposition
    • about
    See full entry
  3.  
    (sport体育) connected with trying to prevent the other team or player from scoring points or goals防守的
    • defensive play防守型打法
    • a largely defensive campaign以防御为主的战役
    compare offensive
    4. Word Originlate Middle English: from Old French défensif, -ive, from medieval Latin defensivus, from Latin defens- ‘warded off’, from the verb defendere, from de- ‘off’ + -fendere ‘to strike’.

defensive

noun
🔊/dɪˈfensɪv/
🔊/dɪˈfensɪv/
Idioms
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Idioms
on/onto the defensive
  1. acting in a way that shows that you expect to be attacked or criticized; having to defend yourself处于防御姿态；处于戒备状态；采取守势
    • Their questions about the money put her on the defensive.他们问到钱的问题时，她就警觉起来。🔊🔊
    • Warnings of an enemy attack forced the troops onto the defensive.敌军显示出进攻的迹象，部队不得不进入戒备状态。🔊🔊