adj.
1 protecting against attack
VERBS
▪ be
ADVERB
▪ purely
▪
These are purely ~ measures.
▪ essentially , largely
▪
a largely ~ campaign
2 showing you feel sb is criticizing you
VERBS
▪ be , feel , look , seem , sound
▪ become , get , grow
▪
Whenever anyone mentions women's rights, he gets rather ~.
ADVERB
▪ extremely , fairly , very , etc.
▪ fiercely
▪
He did not once glance at his listeners and seemed fiercely ~.
▪ a little , slightly , etc.
▪ overly
PREPOSITION
▪ about
▪
He is extremely ~ about his work.
Defensive is used with these nouns: ↑ alliance , ↑ firearm , ↑ line , ↑ manoeuvre , ↑ measure , ↑ move , ↑ perimeter , ↑ play , ↑ player , ↑ position , ↑ posture , ↑ shield , ↑ stance , ↑ strategy , ↑ tackle , ↑ touchdown , ↑ trench