aggression Hear it!

aggression Definition

ag·gres·sion (ə gres̸h′ən)

noun

  1. an unprovoked attack or warlike act; specif., the use of armed force by a state in violation of its international obligations
  2. the practice or habit of being aggressive or quarrelsome
  3. Psychiatry forceful, attacking behavior, either constructively self-assertive and self-protective or destructively hostile to others or to oneself

Etymology: Fr < L aggressio: see aggress

aggression Synonyms

aggression

n.

  1. An attack

    offensive, assault, invasion; see attack 1.

  2. Aggressive behavior

    aggressiveness, belligerence, hostility, combativeness, pugnacity, militancy, bellicosity, quarrelsomeness, militarism, warmongering, drive, forcefulness, fight*, push*, pushiness*, feistiness*, killer instinct*.

aggression Usage Examples

Converse of object

  • deter: The whole purpose of Pakistan's decision to acquire nuclear capability has been to deter aggression by a more powerful state.
  • resist: These eight lines reflect the ambiance of a mighty war machine geared up to resist the aggression of a hostile power, i.e. Germany.
  • justify: Tony Blair is arrogantly trying to justify this aggression by appealing to the defense of " civilized values " .
  • halt: Private armed guards were drafted in to provide security, after the Latvian police repeatedly failed to halt the aggression of the homophobic mob.
  • commit: No nation can be allowed to commit aggression or to use weapons of mass destruction against its own people.

Preposition: against

  • state: Their raids became either a disturbance of the national peace, or worse still, aggression against another state.

Preposition: between

  • dog: Aggression between dogs living in the same household is usually about social status.

Preposition: towards

  • cat: In addition they are referred for a higher incidence of aggression toward other cats.
  • dog: Aggression toward other dogs was referred in 24 % of cases.

Adjective modifier

  • imperialist: The ' siege mentality ' provoked by imperialist aggression was a powerful factor giving rise to wrong policies.
  • unprovoked: Hitler invaded Poland in an act of unprovoked aggression.
  • pent-up: The pent-up aggression of these cycles is defused by the setting in motion of the scapegoat mechanism.
  • Serbian: The earlier dominant position of the Serbs led to a view of the war as Serbian aggression and a tendency to overlook Serbian losses.
  • Serb: This was Britain's failure, under a Tory government, to prevent Serb aggression against Bosnia in the early 1990s.

Noun used with modifier

  • anglo-us: Irish Government Regrets Bombing of Iraq The government of Ireland has joined the international opposition to the Anglo-US aggression against Iraq.
  • fear: Figures 2 and 3 suggest that the referral rate of fear aggression toward other dogs has steadily increased over the years.

Preposition: in

    Preposition: of

    • kind: The limping peace process has been accompanied by well-reported aggression of one kind or another on both sides.
aggression Quotes

But thisnovel wasnot a trumpet for Women's Liberation. It described many female emotions of aggression, hostility, resentment. It put them into print. Apparently what many women were thinking, feeling, experiencing came as a great surprise.

—Lessing, Doris May ne¤  e Tayler

   We shall never sheath the sword which we have not lightly drawn until Belgium recovers in full measure all and more than all that she has sacrificed, until France is adequatelyassured against the menace of aggression, until the rights of the smaller nationalities of Europe are placed upon an unassailable foundation and until the military domination of Prussia is wholly and finally destroyed.

—Asquith

Securitycan only be obtained bya scheme by whichthe nations of Europe and outside agree together that all will guarantee each, and each will guarantee all. The purposes ofthewar will be attained ifthereisa League of Nations with an absolute and decisive veto upon any mere aggression, and consideration of any legitimate claims that any of the countries engaged in the war may be able to make good.

—Lees-Smith, Hastings Bernard