1 But Peter's words caused fierce resentment to burn in her breast, drove her to a defensive position, made her suddenly dislike her neighbors as much as she disliked the Yankees.
2 She could be as unscrupulous in fighting for herself as she was reckless in courting danger, and whatever came to her hand at such moments was likely to be used as a defensive missile.
3 A native warrior fights as he sleeps, without the protection of anything defensive.
The Last of the Mohicans By James Fenimore CooperContext Highlight In CHAPTER 27 4 Boulatruelle, although intoxicated, had a correct and lucid memory, a defensive arm that is indispensable to any one who is at all in conflict with legal order.
Les Misérables 5 By Victor HugoContext Highlight In BOOK 5: CHAPTER I—IN WHICH THE TREE WITH THE ZINC PLASTER APPEARS... 5 As to d'Artagnan, he fought purely and simply on the defensive; and when he saw his adversary pretty well fatigued, with a vigorous side thrust sent his sword flying.
The Three Musketeers By Alexandre DumasContext Highlight In 31 ENGLISH AND FRENCH 6 But d'Artagnan, still keeping on the defensive, drew near to Kitty's door.
7 Mr. Micawber, I must observe, in his adaptation of himself to a new state of society, had acquired a bold buccaneering air, not absolutely lawless, but defensive and prompt.
David Copperfield By Charles DickensContext Highlight In CHAPTER 57. THE EMIGRANTS 8 They are all on the defensive, lose their tempers, as though they all want to make one feel something.
9 Now, though something might be said both ways, I nevertheless believe that artillery is beyond comparison more hurtful to him who stands on the defensive than to him who attacks.
Discourses on the First Decade of Titus Livius By Niccolo MachiavelliContext Highlight In BOOK 2: CHAPTER XVII. 10 In the former case, he who is on the defensive is at once undone.
Discourses on the First Decade of Titus Livius By Niccolo MachiavelliContext Highlight In BOOK 2: CHAPTER XVII. 11 Science becomes, in their hands, not only a defensive weapon, but still more frequently an offensive one; the one serves against all their physical sufferings, the other against all their enemies.
The Count of Monte Cristo By Alexandre DumasContext Highlight In Chapter 52. Toxicology. 12 I fancied it could not be very prejudicial to Mrs. Linton; unless she made it so afterwards, by assuming the defensive for her guest.
13 Snowball, who had studied an old book of Julius Caesar's campaigns which he had found in the farmhouse, was in charge of the defensive operations.
14 On returning to France, to the bosom of the great, strong, magnificent, peaceful, and glorious fatherland, I should have proclaimed her frontiers immutable; all future wars purely defensive, all aggrandizement antinational.
15 She could think of no defense for this last, for she knew Gerald was right.