1 ~ (to sb) rude in a way that causes you to feel upset, insulted or annoyed:
offensive behaviour / remarks * His comments were deeply offensive to a large number of single mothers. * The programme contains language which some viewers may find offensive.
OPPINOFFENSIVE
2 (formal) extremely unpleasant:
an offensive smell
3 [onlybeforenoun] connected with the act of attacking sb/sth:
an offensive war * offensive action * He was charged with carrying an offensive weapon.
compareDEFENSIVE
4 (AmE, sport) connected with the team that has control of the ball; connected with the act of scoring points:
offensive play
compareDEFENSIVE
offensively adverb:
He later apologized for speaking offensively about the Queen. * (AmE) The team needs to be encouraged to play more offensively.
offensiveness noun [U]
سۆز تۈركۈمى: noun
1 a military operation in which large numbers of soldiers, etc. attack another country:
an air / a bombing offensive * The final offensive was launched on January 10.
2 a series of actions aimed at achieving sth in a way that attracts a lot of attention:
The government has launched a new offensive against crime. * a sales offensive * The public seems unconvinced by their latest charm offensive (= their attempt to make people like them).
IDIOMS
be on the offensive to be attacking sb/sth rather than waiting for them to attack you:
The Scots were on the offensive for most of the game. * The government is very much on the offensive in the fight against drugs.
go on (to) the offensive
