{
    "term": "defensive",
    "partOfSpeech": "adjective",
    "ox5000": true,
    "cefr": "c1",
    "definitions": [
        {
            "senseNumber": 1,
            "definition": "protecting somebody/something against attack",
            "cefr": "c1",
            "examples": [
                {
                    "text": "As a defensive measure he built a series of coastal forts and watchtowers."
                },
                {
                    "text": "These are purely defensive measures."
                },
                {
                    "text": "Troops took up a defensive position around the town."
                }
            ],
            "collocations": {
                "verbs": ["be"],
                "adverb": ["purely", "essentially", "largely"]
            }
        },
        {
            "senseNumber": 2,
            "definition": "behaving in a way that shows that you feel that people are criticizing you",
            "cefr": "c1",
            "examples": [
                {
                    "text": "Don't ask him about his plans—he just gets defensive."
                },
                {
                    "text": "He is extremely defensive about his work."
                },
                {
                    "text": "Her manner was oddly defensive, as he hadn't intended any criticism at all."
                },
                {
                    "text": "Whenever anyone mentions women's rights, he gets rather defensive."
                }
            ],
            "collocations": {
                "verbs": ["be", "feel", "look"],
                "adverb": ["extremely", "fairly", "very"],
                "preposition": ["about"]
            }
        },
        {
            "senseNumber": 3,
            "definition": "connected with trying to prevent the other team or player from scoring points or goals",
            "labels": "(sport)",
            "cefr": "c1",
            "examples": [
                {
                    "text": "defensive play"
                },
                {
                    "text": "a largely defensive campaign"
                }
            ]
        }
    ],
    "pronunciations": {
        "uk": [
            {
                "pronunciation": "/dɪˈfensɪv/",
                "audio": "de/defensive/defensive__gb_1.mp3"
            }
        ],
        "us": [
            {
                "pronunciation": "/dɪˈfensɪv/",
                "audio": "de/defensive/defensive__us_1.mp3"
            }
        ]
    },
    "wordOrigin": "late Middle English: from Old French défensif, -ive, from medieval Latin defensivus, from Latin defens- ‘warded off’, from the verb defendere, from de- ‘off’ + -fendere ‘to strike’."
}