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offensive

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of⋅fen⋅sive

  [uh-fen-siv or, for 4, 5, aw-fen-, of-en-]
Use offensive in a Sentence
–adjective
1. causing resentful displeasure; highly irritating, angering, or annoying: offensive television commercials.
2. unpleasant or disagreeable to the sense: an offensive odor.
3. repugnant to the moral sense, good taste, or the like; insulting: an offensive remark; an offensive joke.
4. pertaining to offense or attack: the offensive movements of their troops.
5. characterized by attack; aggressive: offensive warfare.
–noun
6. the position or attitude of aggression or attack: to take the offensive.
7. an aggressive movement or attack: a carefully planned naval offensive.
Origin:
1540–50; < ML offēnsīvus, equiv. to L offēns(us) ptp. of offendere (see offend ) + -īvus -ive

Related forms:
of⋅fen⋅sive⋅ly, adverb
of⋅fen⋅sive⋅ness, noun

Synonyms:
1. displeasing, vexatious, vexing, unpleasant. See hateful. 2, 3. distasteful, disgusting, revolting, repellent. 3. repulsive, shocking. 4. invading, attacking.

Antonyms:
1, 2. pleasing. 4. defensive.
Dictionary.com Unabridged
Based on the Random House Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2009.
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of·fen·sive   (ə-fěn'sĭv)   
adj.  

  1. Disagreeable to the senses: an offensive odor.

  2. Causing anger, displeasure, resentment, or affront: an offensive gesture.

    1. Making an attack: The offensive troops gained ground quickly.

    2. Of, relating to, or designed for attack: offensive weapons.

  4. (ŏf'ěn-) Sports Of or relating to a team having possession of a ball or puck: the offensive line.

n.  

  1. An attitude or position of attack: go on the offensive in chess.

  2. An attack or assault: led a massive military offensive.

of·fen'sive·ly adv., of·fen'sive·ness n.
Synonyms: These adjectives mean extremely unpleasant to the senses or feelings: an offensive remark; disgusting language; a loathsome disease; a nasty smell; a repellent demand; repulsive behavior; revolting food; vile thoughts. See Also Synonyms at hateful.
The American Heritage® Dictionary of the English Language, Fourth Edition
Copyright © 2009 by Houghton Mifflin Company.
Published by Houghton Mifflin Company. All rights reserved.
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Word Origin & History

offensive  (adj.)
"attacking" (1547), "insulting" (1576), both from M.Fr. offensif (fem. offensive), from M.L. offensivus, from L. offensus, pp. of offendere "offend" (see offend). The noun is 1720 from the adj.
Online Etymology Dictionary, © 2001 Douglas Harper
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Legal Dictionary

Main Entry: of·fen·sive
Pronunciation: &-'fen-siv
Function: adjective
1 : of, relating to, or designed for attack <offensive weapons>
2 : causing displeasure or resentment; especially : contrary to a particular or prevailing sense of what is decent, proper, or moral offensive way> —see also OBSCENE —of·fen·sive·ly adverb —of·fen·sive·ness noun
Merriam-Webster's Dictionary of Law, © 1996 Merriam-Webster, Inc.
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