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The objective, rationale, purpose, design, aim, motivation, function, or meaning for a specific action, motion, or thought.
Intent is the determining factor as to whether the nature of a particular move or action is offensive or defensive.
In legal terms, intent can be the difference between being incarcerated for a few years or a lifetime. For example, causing the death of another by accident is not nearly as serious an offense as planning and executing the murder of another human being. In order to be convicted for the more serious offense, the prosecution must prove that the defender thought about and then committed the crime. This is proving intent. In other words, proving what the mindset of the offender was, up to and during the execution of the crime. Without that proof, one can only be convicted of a lesser offense and thus a lesser sentence. And sometimes that means that the only way for the prosecution to get to the intent is through a confession. That is, getting the defendant to tell them what they were thinking before and during the execution of the crime.
At first thought, one might think that looking at a specific maneuver can determine whether it is a defensive or offensive maneuver. For example, seeing someone punch another person is obviously offensive. In contrast, seeing someone parry an oncoming punch is obviously defensive. But, under further scrutiny, just seeing a maneuver can't always determine the intent of the maneuver. For example, seeing an oncoming punch being blocked - is that maneuver defensive or offensive? It depends. Whether it is defensive or offensive is determined by one factor - the intent of the practitioner deflecting the punch. Did the practitioner intend to only deflect the punch? If so, then the maneuver was defensive. Or, did the practitioner intent to hurt the arm of the attacker? If so, then the maneuver was offensive. Both cases depend upon one element; the state of the defender's mind when executing the maneuver.
Keep in mind the definition of a block:
Force against force, against a weapon in flight, without intent to cause injury.
And the definition of a strike:
Any move or action that has the intent to cause injury or harm.
One of the key elements of the above definitions is the intent part. If at any time the intent is to cause injury, any move ceases being defensive and is considered offensive - i.e. a strike.
In summary, without knowing intent, one cannot always determine whether a move is defensive or offensive in nature.
Any maneuver can be broken down into one of the following categories:
Defensive defense
Offensive defense
Defensive offense
Offensive offense
It is beyond the scope this section to get into the specific definitions and examples of the above categories, but is left to the reader research further.