2 definitions found
From Webster's Revised Unabridged Dictionary (1913) [web1913]:
Offensive \Of*fen"sive\, a. [Cf.F. offensif See {Offend}.]
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.'' --Bacon.
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.
Syn: Displeasing; disagreeable; distasteful; obnoxious;
abhorrent; disgusting; impertinent; rude; saucy;
reproachful; opprobrious; insulting; insolent; abusive;
scurrilous; assailant; attacking; invading. --
{Of*fen"sive*ly}, adv -- {Of*fen"sive*ness}, n.
From WordNet r 1.6 [wn]:
offensively
adv 1: in an unpleasantly offensive manner; "he smelled offensively
unwashed" [ant: {inoffensively}]
2: in an obnoxious manner; "he said so in one of his more
offensively intellectually arrogant sentences" [syn: {objectionably},
{obnoxiously}]
3: in an aggressive manner; "`In this crisis, we must act
offensively,' the President said"; "the admiral intends to
act offensively in the Mediterranean" [ant: {defensively}]
more about offensively
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