ag*gres"sive*ness

Webster's Dictionary (GCIDE)

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]