| 释义 |
defensive, a. and n.|dɪˈfɛnsɪv|
Also 4–5 -sif, 5 -syue, 6 -sife, deffensive, 7 defencive.
[a. F. défensif, -ive (14th c. in Hatzf.), ad. med.L. dēfensīv-us, f. dēfens-, ppl. stem of L. dēfendĕre: see -ive.]
A. adj.
1. a. Having the quality of defending against attack or injury; serving for defence; protective.
c1400Lanfranc's Cirurg. 13 Aboute þe wounde leie a medicyn defensif. 1495Act 11 Hen. VII, c. 64 Preamb., Armours Defensives, as Jakkes, Salettis, Brigandynes. 1548Hall Chron. 169 b, Any weapon, either invasive or defensive. 1593Shakes. Rich. II, ii. i. 48 As a Moate defensiue to a house. 1636Sir H. Blount Voy. Levant (1637) 100 A boorded Arche..defensive against sunne and raine. 1634Sir T. Herbert Trav. (1638) 330 The Nut is cloathed with a defensive husk. 1655Fuller Ch. Hist. ix. ii. §21 IV. 357 A Castle (then much decayed, never much defensive for this City). 1774Goldsm. Nat. Hist. (1776) VI. 361 An hard, firm shell, which furnishes..both offensive and defensive armour. 1874Boutell Arms & Arm. ii. 9 When they invaded Gaul, the Romans..wore defensive armour formed of iron.
†b. Of fortified places: = defensible 1 b. Obs.
1601R. Johnson Kingd. & Commw. (1603) 259 To immure themselves in such defensive places. 1634Sir T. Herbert Trav. (1638) 81 The Citie is..made defensive by many helps of nature and industry.
†c. Of persons: Capable of making defence. Obs. rare.
1667Milton P.L. vi. 393 The faint Satanic Host Defensive scarse, or, with pale fear surpris'd.
†d. With of: Serving to ward off, or to protect against. Obs. rare.
1725Pope Odyss. xxiii. 196, I rais'd a nuptial bow'r And roof'd defensive of the storm and show'r.
e. Cricket. Of batting: characterized by cautiousness; having the protection of the wicket as the chief consideration.
1872Baily's Monthly Mag. Aug. 167 Mr. Ottaway played a perfect defensive innings, while Mr. Grace was hitting. 1904P. F. Warner How we recovered Ashes i. 13 He can play a forcing or defensive game as circumstances demand. 1965P. Sharpe Cricket for Schoolboys vii. 82 Defensive stroke,..stroke intended to protect wicket rather than score. 1967C. J. Goodwin Coming in to Bat i. 9 (heading) The defensive back stroke.
f. Of a person, attitude, expression, etc.: self-protective, defiant, ready to reject criticism. Cf. self-defensive a.
1919J. Conrad Arrow of Gold v. v. 275 The perfect stillness and silence made her raise her eyes at last, reluctantly, with a hard, defensive expression which I had never seen in them before. a1930D. H. Lawrence Mod. Lover (1934) 42 He recognized the woman defensive, playing the coward against her own inclination. 1938Psychoanalytic Q. VII. 254 It is an important function of the analyst to distinguish these defensive attitudes from the underlying emotions. 1945E. Waugh Brideshead Revisited i. v. 120 We were instructed by a man of about my age, who treated us with defensive hostility. 1956Jrnl. Gen. Psychol. LIV. 191 Rogers..and Snygg and Combs..imply..that the more an individual tends to deny threatening experiences to awareness (i.e., the more defensive he is), the greater will be the degree of threat he experiences. 1971Black Scholar Jan. 48/1, There is..what I have called the Defensive Posture of black writers: that is, a certain fear of strongly criticizing black people and attacking them for their weaknesses. 1986Monthly Rev. Apr. 20 P. W. Botha appeared to fumble the ball with his ill-starred ‘Rubicon’ speech,..—a speech..characterized by an all too familiar defensive truculence.
2. Made, formed, or carried on for the purpose of defence: opposed to offensive (= aggressive).
1580North Plutarch (1676) 455 The Athenians made League offensive and deffensive with them. 1631Gouge God's Arrows iii. §60. 293 The bloud which in defensive warre is shed. 1678Lady Chaworth in 12th Rep. Hist. MSS. Comm. App. v. 44 A league offencive and defencive with Holland. 1777Watson Philip II (1839) 353 Able to wage only a tedious defensive war. 1787F. Burney Diary Mar., I was obliged to resolve upon a defensive conduct in future. 1869Rawlinson Anc. Hist. 180 Alliance, offensive and defensive, between Sparta and Bœotia.
3. Of or belonging to defence.
1643Sir H. Slingsby Diary (1836) 102 They..lay at a defensive guarde. 1684R. H. School Recreation 67 Having shewn you the Defensive part, I shall now proceed to the Offensive. 1739J. Trapp Right. over-much (1758) 16 Going to law is absolutely unlawful, even on the defensive side. 1845S. Austin Ranke's Hist. Ref. III. 175 Their position was entirely a defensive one.
4. Spoken or written in defence of something; of the nature of a defence or vindication.
1604Broughton (title), Two little Workes defensive of our Redemption. 1768Blackstone Comm. III. 100 His defensive allegation, to which he is entitled in his turn to the plaintiff's answer upon oath. 1893Bookman June 85/2 An appreciative essay, partly defensive of his memory.
B. n.
†1. Something that serves to defend or protect; esp. in Med. and Surg. a bandage, plaster, ointment, or medicine, serving to guard against injury, inflammation, corruption, infection, etc. Obs.
c1400Lanfranc's Cirurg. 214 Þou schalt algate aboute þe sijknes leie a defensif of bole & terra sigillata. 1544T. Phaer Pestilence (1553) P iv b, Lay a defensiue about the sore. 1562Turner Herbal ii. 41 b, If it be layd vnto woundes, it is a good defensiue for them. 1610Markham Masterpiece ii. clxxiii. 485 It is also an excellent defensiue against fluxes of blood. a1626Bacon (J.), Wars preventive upon just fears, are defensives, as well as on actual invasions. 1665Evelyn Mem. (1857) III. 150 Wear this defensive for my sake. 1725Bradley Fam. Dict. s.v. Wounds, If a Nerve happens to be cut, you must close it, and use a Defensive, to prevent a concourse of Humours.
2. a. A position or attitude of defence: usually in phr. to stand (act, etc.) on the defensive. [Absolute use of A. 3.]
1601R. Johnson Kingd. & Commw. (1603) 178 Onely to stand upon the defensive. 1708Swift Predictions, The French army acts now wholly on the defensive. 1797Burke Corr. IV. 431 In debate, as in war, we confine ourselves to a poor, disgraceful, and ruinous defensive. 1828Scott F.M. Perth xxxiv, The two brethren..striking both at once, compelled him to keep the defensive. 1869Freeman Norm. Conq. (1876) III. xii. 152 The plan of the Duke was to stand wholly on the defensive.
b. Cricket. Defensive batting (see A. 1 e, above); blocking.
1851J. Pycroft Cricket Field iv. 58 The defensive was comparatively unknown: both the bat and the wicket, and the style of bowling too, were all adapted to a short life and a merry one. 1906A. E. Knight Complete Cricketer 344 To act on the defensive is to play with care, mindful of not getting out rather than of adding to the score.
†3. One who defends himself against attack: opposed to assailant or aggressor. Obs. rare.
1634Sir T. Herbert Trav. 79 They..retired home, leaving the Georgians Victors, though defensives. |