English to English

adverb (r)

• in an apologetic and defensive manner(adv.all)

  Example:
  `I felt it better you should know,' said Sir Cedric defensively.
  

  source: wordnet30
• in a defensive manner(adv.all)

  Example:
  The general conviction that our side is in the right and acting defensively over what Russians call the German question and Americans the Berlin crisis.
  

  Antonym:
  offensively
  

  source: wordnet30
• On the defensive.(adverb)

  source: webster1913