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Example sentences for "defensive"

Lexicographically close words:
defense; defenseless; defenses; defensible; defensionem; defensively; defensores; defer; deference; deferens
  1. The men were then placed in defensive positions, and picquets told off.

  2. The half battalion of the regiment under Major Curry was ordered to take up a defensive position on Limit Hill and to stay there for the night.

  3. He made some defensive works in the district of Pasto, and ordered the principal men to pay tribute.

  4. I added, that for the defensive they were useless to us, nay, they were hurtful, and that I thought it necessary to take New-York before the winter.

  5. His position was, however, rather a defensive one, until the period at which that letter was written, when the English abandoned Richmond.

  6. It is that which reduces us to defensive operations, as dangerous as they are humiliating.

  7. I cannot help fearing, my dear General, that our campaign will take a defensive turn which is far from answering our first plans and expectations.

  8. For just a tick of time there was a turmoil of color as offensive ray met defensive web; then the air cleared again--and the pirate was unmarked!

  9. Why, with their defensive ray-web proof for some time at least against his offensive rays, had they left without more of a struggle for the horn?

  10. The distance was short, and it came from generators that were perhaps not equaled in space; no ordinary ship's defensive web could resist its vicious thrust.

  11. He said tersely: "Set up the defensive web.

  12. Turn on the defensive web, and prepare all ray batteries.

  13. It seemed so, certainly, from the great strength of their defensive ray-web.

  14. Their grand chance is their superiority of number; and the fact that Friedrich can try nothing upon THEM, but must stand painfully on the defensive till Retzow come.

  15. I was in great hopes of taking him without resistance, but as we got close up to him he sprang forward in a defensive attitude, thrusting his spear at us, and evidently resolved to fight to the last.

  16. For a short time--in 1539--he began to think that Cromwell might be right about the danger of a coalition, and accepted the plan of the Cleves marriage as a defensive measure.

  17. He had been largely occupied in organising the defences in the West Country, and had been urgent in pressing the true strategical policy of fighting and beating the Spaniard on the sea--of an offensive naval war as the only true defensive war.

  18. Not long after that son was born, the Simnel plot was brewing; the coronation under those circumstances might have taken the colour of a defensive measure.

  19. Quite otherwise, for the Bois Brules were on the alert, employing all defensive measures in their full knowledge available in that site.

  20. Soon were the wagons unlimbered and ranged in defensive order, the mules unladen, and the encampment as swiftly installed as could be.

  21. Thenceforth England stood on the defensive in Europe in order to guard and strengthen her Colonial Empire.

  22. Further, we now know that Marie Antoinette, in her resolve to paralyse the policy and the defensive power of France, wrote at once to Fersen at Brussels that her consort's letter was very far from speaking his real sentiments.

  23. But it is to be regretted that fear of Napoleon should have obliterated his earlier aim of forming a defensive league of the weaker States.

  24. As it was, the Allies, not having enough men, stood on the defensive all along their very extensive front, and were overpowered at Fort Mulgrave, which was some miles away from the city.

  25. On 7th February his Ministers signed with Prince Reuss, the Austrian envoy, a secret treaty of defensive alliance, mainly for the settlement of French affairs, but also with a side glance at Poland.

  26. True, offers of a defensive alliance were mooted at St. Petersburg to our ambassador, Admiral Warren.

  27. Recently he had advised Addington not to retain Alexandria, Malta, Goree, and Cape Town, but to trust rather to defensive preparations, which might include a friendly understanding with other aggrieved Powers.

  28. And thus you will have at once defensive armour for the shins and stockings for the feet.

  29. South of the Dniester the allied troops penetrated the enemy's defensive position, defeated the Russians and conquered Stry, the enemy retreating toward the Dniester.

  30. Dispersion is a defensive measure employed by tactical commanders; however, hospital operations limit the value of this technique.

  31. Protection of Food from Contamination An adequate defensive posture for a chemical attack will also protect food against biological contamination and radiation fallout.

  32. Many defensive measures will either impede or preclude performance of the hospital mission.

  33. NATO Handbook on the Medical Aspects of NBC Defensive Operations--AMedP-6(B).

  34. On the other side the Austrians, trusting to the defensive facilities of the plateau, had directed the II.

  35. Montebello had, however, one singular result: both sides fell back and took defensive measures.

  36. None of these dwellings today is more than one story high, so that their original height is unknown in detail, but great massivity and considerable defensive strength are apparent even from the remaining mounds of rubble.

  37. In another letter, dated July 8th, he again questioned the utility of a defensive post.

  38. On the 30th Cornwallis wrote one or two letters questioning the utility of the defensive post he was ordered to occupy (Parl.

  39. I have had occasion to refer to them because an offensive and defensive alliance with the Six Nations is proposed in them.

  40. On June 11th Clinton ordered Cornwallis to seek some defensive position (Parl.

  41. Russia and Austria the alliance both offensive and defensive was to be made effective (Hertslet, No.

  42. On the 7th of February Austria and Prussia signed at Berlin an offensive and defensive treaty of alliance.

  43. In spite of the reluctance of Maria Theresa, Kaunitz, in July 1771, concluded a defensive alliance with the Porte.

  44. The Babil mound probably represents the site of a palace built by Nebuchadrezzar at the northern extremity of the city walls and attached to a defensive outwork 60 cubits in length.

  45. Safe in the offensive-defensive alliance with Great Britain, Japan approached Russia in a dignified manner, to be put off with vague replies.

  46. An offensive-defensive alliance was concluded, whereby Napoleon agreed not to oppose the expulsion of the Turk or Russia's conquest of Constantinople.

  47. In the latter part of 1901, Marquis Ito Hirobumi visited the United States and crossed over to England, where he proposed an offensive-defensive alliance.

  48. Austria and Prussia resented the contempt which the czar had expressed for them, and on the 10th of April England and France entered into an offensive-defensive alliance.

  49. The response to the defensive tone of the President varied according to foreign affiliations.

  50. King of England, was bound to a defensive alliance with Sweden by the treaty of 1700.

  51. But then, at least, England was not bound to Spain by a defensive treaty.

  52. The pamphlet called The Defensive Treaty bears no date of publication.

  53. This defensive treaty shall last for eighteen years, before the end of which the confederate kings may .

  54. Defensive Treaty of 1700, by which English commerce, with the exception of contraband of war, was allowed to go on with ports of the enemy.

  55. King William had concluded the Defensive Treaty as well for Holland as for England.

  56. The Defensive Treaty between England and Sweden, the single articles of which the pamphlet comments upon in the form of queries, was concluded in 1700 between William III.

  57. Ross had been on the defensive then, and he had not liked it.

  58. Now he was aware that he was on the defensive and was being kept there.

  59. You yourself are in force enough for those fellows: but so long as you keep on the defensive alone, the enemy gains time, and things will always go a bad road.

  60. On the west side runs the still-young Striegau Water, defensive more or less; and on the farther bank of it green little Hills, their steepest side stream-ward.

  61. This line extends from Meissen southward about 10 miles, commanding the Reich-ward Passes of the Metal Mountains, and is defensive of Leipzig, Torgau and the Towns thereabouts.


  62. The above list will hopefully give you a few useful examples demonstrating the appropriate usage of "defensive" in a variety of sentences. We hope that you will now be able to make sentences using this word.
    Other words:
    covering; custodial; defensive; guardian; guarding; parental; preventive; prophylactic; protective; sheltering; shielding; strong; tutelary; vigilant; watchful


    Some related collocations, pairs and triplets of words:
    defensive armour; defensive position