The Collaborative International Dictionary
Offensive \Of*fen"sive\, n. The state or posture of one who offends or makes attack; aggressive attitude; the act of the attacking party; -- opposed to defensive.
To take the offensive, To act on the offensive, To go on the offensive, to be the attacking party; to initiate hostilities.
Usage examples of "to go on the offensive".
Rather than wait for the enemy vessels to come to us, I have decided to go on the offensive and meet them head-on.
She tried to change tactics, tried to go on the offensive, but he would not let her.
Not that she'd done much better, but wiser to go on the offensive than justify her own failings.
The crew of Zingara were already at battlestations and ready to go on the offensive.
Nangi knew that in order to draw the other man out, he needed to go on the offensive.
Fearing that Obould and Gerti would blame him for his lack of a definitive victory, Urlgen was ready to go on the offensive, to chastise his father for not giving him enough force to unseat the dwarves from the high ground.
But perhaps instead of asking forgiveness he meant to go on the offensive and demand the return of his abominable drug apparatus.
In his mind, he painstakingly choreographed the moves he would have to make to go on the offensive- a sudden leap to his feet, smash the bottle to create a jagged makeshift weapon, then prepare for victory.
In his mind, he painstakingly choreographed the moves he would have to make to go on the offensive—.
Now that the clinic was set up and people were being helped, Riker knew he had to find a way to go on the offensive.
FEARING THAT OBOULD AND GERTI WOULD BLAME HIM FOR HIS LACK OF A DEFINITIVE VICTORY, URLGEN WAS READY TO GO ON THE OFFENSIVE, TO CHASTISE HIS FATHER FOR NOT GIVING HIM ENOUGH FORCE TO UNSEAT THE DWARVES FROM THE HIGH GROUND.
Grant cursed and tried to go on the offensive, but his eyes leaked tears.