defensive
— Adjective
– English
～ attempting to justify or defend in speech or writing
defensive
— Adjective
– English
～ intended or appropriate for defending against or deterring aggression or attack; "defensive weapons"; "a defensive stance"
defensive attitude
— Noun
– English
～ an attitude of defensiveness (especially in the phrase `on the defensive')
defensive
— Noun
– English
～ an attitude of defensiveness (especially in the phrase `on the defensive')
defensively
— Adverb
– English
～ in a defensive manner; "the general conviction that our side is in the right and acting defensively over what Russians call the German question and Americans the Berlin crisis"
defensively
— Adverb
– English
～ in an apologetic and defensive manner; "`I felt it better you should know,' said Sir Cedric defensively"
defensiveness
— Noun
– English
～ excessive sensitivity to criticism; "his defensiveness was manifested in hurt silence"; "the fear of being sued for malpractice has magnified physicians' defensiveness"