OFFENSIVE • DICCIONARIO INGLES.COM • Definition of Offensive

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/əfˈɛnsɪv/ Listen

adjective

Offensive adj.

Giving offense; causing displeasure or resentment; displeasing; annoying; as, offensive words.

Giving pain or unpleasant sensations; disagreeable; revolting; noxious; as, an offensive smell; offensive sounds. "Offensive to the stomach."

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.

Synonyms: Displeasing; disagreeable; distasteful; obnoxious; abhorrent; disgusting; impertinent; rude; saucy; reproachful; opprobrious; insulting; insolent; abusive; scurrilous; assailant; attacking; invading.

noun

Offensive n. The state or posture of one who offends or makes attack; aggressive attitude; the act of the attacking party; opposed to defensive.

To take the offensive, To act on the offensive, To go on the offensive, to be the attacking party; to initiate hostilities.

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Etymology of 'Offensive'

Collaborative International Dictionary of English 0.48

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"Offensive" Quotes from Famous Books

... all we could gather, and we could see that neither the conductor nor the new driver were much concerned about the matter. They plainly had little respect for a man who would deliver offensive opinions of people and then be so simple as to come into their presence unprepared to "back his judgment," as they pleasantly phrased the killing of any fellow-being who did not like said opinions. And likewise they plainly had a contempt for the man's poor discretion in venturing to rouse ...

— Innocents abroad • Mark Twain

... Mary, Queen of Scots, born in Turin; the son of a dancing-master; was employed by the queen as her secretary, and being offensive to the nobles, was by a body of them dragged from the queen's presence and stabbed to ...

— The Nuttall Encyclopaedia - Being a Concise and Comprehensive Dictionary of General Knowledge • Edited by Rev. James Wood

... locked up in his chest almost before they were fairly dry. He did not seem to be a reader, but the objectionable little book with the gilt edges came out at a regular hour each day, and for five minutes at least had his full attention, without offensive interruption. ...

— Little Tora, The Swedish Schoolmistress and Other Stories • Mrs. Woods Baker

... about him. He pays great respect and deference to people who are old. He never uses coarse words nor bad language, and always speaks civilly to servants. He does not enter the parlour with dirty hands and face, nor ever greases his clothes, for he knows that dirty habits are offensive, disgusting things, and therefore he carefully ...

— The Bad Family and Other Stories • Mrs. Fenwick

... correct in saying that such a thing has never happened before to M. le Marquis in all his life. If you felt yourself affronted, you had but to ask the satisfaction due from one gentleman to another. Your action would seem to confirm the assumption that you found so offensive. But it does not on that account render you ...

— Scaramouche - A Romance of the French Revolution • Rafael Sabatini

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