offensive Copy link Outline I. Causing offence or displeasure1. expr. by displicēre, odio esse, offensionem habere2. ŏdiōsus (highly disagreeable, objectionable)3. foedus (extremely o., revolting)II. Disagreeable to the senses1. grăvis (with ref. to smell2. foetĭdus3. fastīdiendus (exciting nausea or disgust4. pūtĭdus (esp. offensive to good taste)III. Opp. to defensive • offensive: I. Causing offence or displeasure: 1. expr. by displicēre, odio esse, offensionem habere: v. to displease; hateful; offence. 2. ŏdiōsus (highly disagreeable, objectionable): an o. class of people, o. genus hominum, Cic. Sen. 20, 71: he did many o. things, multa odiosa fecit, Nep. Alc. 2, extr.: an o. word, verbum o., Cic. Or. 8, 25. 3. foedus (extremely o., revolting): cf. Cic. Rep. 2, 26, quo (tyranno) neque tetrius, neque foedius, nec diis hominibusque invisius animal ullum cogitari potest: v. revolting, hateful. II. Disagreeable to the senses: 1. grăvis (with ref. to smell: strong, rank): o. water-snakes, g. chelydri, Virg. G. 3, 415: Hor. (but not always in bad sense, cf. Plin. 25, 9, 70, odore suaviter gravi). Also grave olens, Virg. Aen. 6, 201; and as one word, Apul. 2. foetĭdus: v. fetid. 3. fastīdiendus (exciting nausea or disgust: rare): Plin. 25, 7, 38. 4. pūtĭdus (esp. offensive to good taste): practices (on the part of speakers) disagreeable and o., molesta et putida, Cic. de Or. 3, 13, extr. (where, immediately after, odiosus occurs as strengthened syn.). Dimin., putidulus (somewhat so): Mart. III. Opp. to defensive: expr. by bellum infĕro, 3, irr.: not to act on the o., but the defensive, bellum non inferre sed defendere, Caes. B. G. 1, 44: the Romans were acting on the defensive rather than the o., Romani arcebant magis quam inferebant bellum, Liv. 10, 28, init.: they were strong enough to assume the o., inferendo quoque bello satis pollebant, Tac. H. 3, 55 (R. and A.): a league o. and defensive, *foedus ad inferendum nihilominus quam defendendum bellum initum.