Tra từ offensive - Từ điển Oxford Advanced Learner 8th

of·fen·sive [offensive offensives] adjective, noun BrE [əˈfensɪv] NAmE [əˈfensɪv]
adjective
1. rude in a way that causes you to feel upset, insulted or annoyed
•offensive remarks
• The programme contains language which some viewers may find offensive.
•~ to sb His comments were deeply offensive to a large number of single mothers.
Opp: ↑inoffensive
2. (formal)extremely unpleasant
Syn: ↑obnoxious
•an offensive smell
3. only before noun connected with the act of attacking sb/sth
•an offensive war
•offensive action
•He was charged with carrying an offensive weapon.
compare ↑defensive
4. (NAmE, sport)connected with the team that has control of the ball; connected with the act of scoring points
•offensive play
compare ↑defensive

Word Origin:
mid 16th cent.: from French offensif, -ive or medieval Latin offensivus, from Latin offens- ‘struck against’, from the verb offendere ‘strike against’.

Thesaurus:
offensive adj.
•The programme contained offensive language.
insulting • • abusive • • coarse • • bad • • foul • • filthy • |especially BrE rude •
Opp: inoffensive
offensive/insulting/abusive to sb
offensive/insulting/abusive/bad/foul/filthy/rude language
a/an offensive/insulting/abusive/coarse/filthy/rude word
a/an offensive/abusive/rude gesture/remark/comment

Synonyms:
disgusting
foul • revolting • repulsive • offensive • gross
These words all describe sth, especially a smell, taste or habit, that is extremely unpleasant and often makes you feel slightly ill.
disgusting • extremely unpleasant and making you feel slightly ill: ▪ What a disgusting smell!
foul • dirty, and tasting or smelling bad: ▪ She could smell his foul breath.
revolting • extremely unpleasant and making you feel slightly ill: ▪ The stew looked revolting.
disgusting or revolting?
Both of these words are used to describe things that smell and taste unpleasant, unpleasant personal habits and people who have them. There is no real difference in meaning, but disgusting is more frequent, especially in spoken English.
repulsive • (rather formal) extremely unpleasant in a way that offends you or makes you feel slightly ill. Repulsive usually describes people, their behaviour or habits, which you may find offensive for physical or moral reasons.
offensive • (formal) (especially of smells) extremely unpleasant.
gross • (informal) (of a smell, taste or personal habit) extremely unpleasant.
disgusting/repulsive/offensive to sb
to find sb/sth disgusting/revolting/repulsive/offensive
to smell/taste disgusting/foul/gross
a(n) disgusting/foul/revolting/offensive/gross smell
a disgusting/revolting/gross habit
disgusting/offensive/gross behaviour
a disgusting/revolting/repulsive man/woman/person

Example Bank:
•The material is patently offensive as measured by the standards for the broadcast medium.
•This sort of attitude is very offensive to black people.
•I've had enough of her offensive remarks.
•The problem is how to eliminate offensive smells from the processing plant.
•This job is stressful enough even without clients being offensive.
Idioms: ↑go on the offensive ▪ ↑on the offensive ▪ ↑take the offensive
Derived Words: ↑offensively ▪ ↑offensiveness

noun
1. a military operation in which large numbers of soldiers, etc. attack another country
Syn: ↑strike
•an air offensive
•They launched the offensive on January 10.
2. a series of actions aimed at achieving sth in a way that attracts a lot of attention
Syn: ↑campaign
•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).

Word Origin:
mid 16th cent.: from French offensif, -ive or medieval Latin offensivus, from Latin offens- ‘struck against’, from the verb offendere ‘strike against’.

Example Bank:
•In 1941, Hitler launched an all-out offensive against the Soviet Union.
•She took the offensive, challenging her critics to prove their allegations.
•The government is launching an all-out offensive against the drug cartels
•The politician has launched a charm offensive in an attempt to clean up his image.
•a military offensive against the insurgents
•He flew 27 combat missions in the air offensive against Japan.
•The final offensive was launched in the spring.