defensive vs defendable
Definitions
adjective
- attempting to justify or defend in speech or writing
- intended or appropriate for defending against or deterring aggression or attack
noun
- an attitude of defensiveness (especially in the phrase `on the defensive')
Examples
Defensive tackle is a bit more of a crapshoot, but the one thing they must make sure of is that whomever they take has a brilliant mind.
Initially von Leeb, using troops borrowed from von Bock, was able to mount a concerted attack both on the defensive positions of the southern suburbs and the area north of the main rail line to Moscow, their objective being the historic village now a suburb of Schlüsselburg, right on Lake Ladoga.
McCarthy remains dismissive of the allegations and defensive of the former sergeant, saying he was "brutalized" by his colleagues, in particular, by a few senior officers "exerting locker room peer pressure" in the department ranks.
Definitions
adjective
- capable of being defended
Examples
I've harped on about this before, but was interested in Bryan Caplan's critqiue of the Levy-Peart project: I'm going after analytical egalitarians because they're wasting their talent and energy defending the undefendable.
When he can't properly or correctly defend his views, as they are undefendable, he sits back with an air of cockiness.
Makes sense, most liberal policies are undefendable in a real debate.
