From The Collaborative International Dictionary of English v.0.48 [gcide]:
Aggressive \Ag*gres"sive\, a. [Cf. F. agressif.]
1. Tending or disposed to aggress; having or showing
determination and energetic pursuit of one's own ends at
the expense of others or mindless of others' needs or
desires; characterized by aggression; making assaults;
unjustly attacking; as, an aggressive policy, war, person,
nation; an aggressive businessman; an aggressive
basketball player; he was aggressive and imperious in his
convictions; aggressive drivers. Opposite of
{unaggressive}.
[1913 Webster + WordNet 1.5]
No aggressive movement was made. --Macaulay.
[1913 Webster]
2. Marked by self-confident ambition, vigorous
competitiveness, energy and initiative; as, an aggressive
young executive.
Syn: enterprising, pushful, pushing, pushy
[WordNet 1.5]
3. (Med., Biol.) Tending to grow or spread quickly; as, an
aggressive tumor. [Narrower terms: {invasive (vs.
noninvasive) ] --AS
Syn: fast-growing(prenominal)
[WordNet 1.5]
4. Tending to initiate unprovoked attacks; initiating
unprovoked military action; eager to fight; as, aggressive
acts against another country.
Syn: belligerent.
[WordNet 1.5]
Note: Narrower related terms: {bellicose, combative,
pugnacious, scrappy, truculent ; {hard-hitting,
high-pressure ; {hostile} (used of attempts to buy or
take control of a business: "hostile takeover";
"hostile tender offer"); {predatory, rapacious,
raptorial, ravening, vulturine, vulturous . See also:
assertive, hostile, offensive.
[WordNet 1.5] -- {Ag*gres"sive*ly}, adv. --
{Ag*gres"sive*ness}, n.
[1913 Webster]
From WordNet (r) 3.0 (2006) [wn]:
aggressiveness
n 1: the quality of being bold and enterprising
2: a feeling of hostility that arouses thoughts of attack [syn:
{aggression}, {aggressiveness}]
3: a natural disposition to be hostile [syn: {aggressiveness},
{belligerence}, {pugnacity}]
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