Hypertext Webster Gateway: "offensive"
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 Webster's Revised Unabridged Dictionary (1913) (web1913)
Offensive \Of*fen"sive\, n.
The state or posture of one who offends or makes attack;
aggressive attitude; the act of the attacking party; --
opposed to {defensive}.
{To act on the offensive}, to be the attacking party.
From WordNet (r) 1.7 (wn)
offensive
adj 1: violating or tending to violate or offend against;
"violative of the principles of liberty"; "considered
such depravity offensive against all laws of humanity"
[syn: {violative}]
2: for the purpose of attack rather than defense; "offensive
weapons" [ant: {defensive}]
3: causing anger or annoyance; "offensive remarks" [ant: {inoffensive}]
4: morally offensive; "an unsavory reputation"; "an unsavory
scandal" [syn: {unsavory}, {unsavoury}] [ant: {savory}]
5: unpleasant or disgusting especially to the senses;
"offensive odors" [ant: {inoffensive}]
6: of an offensive substitute for inoffensive terminology;
"`nigger' is a dysphemistic term for `African-American'"
[syn: {dysphemistic}] [ant: {euphemistic}]
7: causing or able to cause nausea; "a nauseating smell";
"nauseous offal"; "a sickening stench" [syn: {nauseating},
{nauseous}, {noisome}, {loathsome}, {sickening}, {vile}]
n : the action of attacking the enemy [syn: {offense}, {offence}]
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