offensive

be on the offensive

To be in a mode of attack or aggressive action as a means of gaining an advantage; to be on the attack. If you aren't on the offensive as soon as the debate starts, your opponent is going to walk all over you! After spending weeks dodging scandal, his campaign is on the offensive again, accusing his opponent of misstating the facts.
See also: offensive, on

go on the offensive

To begin attacking someone or adopting an aggressive attitude or position as a means of gaining a pre-emptive advantage. If you don't go on the offensive as soon as the debate starts, your opponent is going to walk all over you! Every time Mike and I start to fight, he immediately goes on the offensive and won't listen to my side of things.
See also: go, offensive, on

prawn cocktail offensive

The (often derisive) name used for politicians' efforts to gain financial support while attending a social event (where prawn cocktails are traditionally served). Primarily heard in UK. I don't want to go to this dinner party—it's just going to become another prawn cocktail offensive, and I'm sick of people asking me for money!
See also: cocktail, offensive, prawn

take the offensive

To begin attacking someone or adopting an aggressive attitude or position as a means of gaining a pre-emptive advantage. If you don't take the offensive as soon as the debate starts, your opponent is going to walk all over you! Every time Mike and I start to fight, he immediately takes the offensive and won't listen to my side of things.
See also: offensive, take
Farlex Dictionary of Idioms.

be on the ofˈfensive

be attacking somebody/something rather than waiting for them to attack you: The Scots were on the offensive for most of the game. The government is very much on the offensive in the fight against drugs. OPPOSITE: on/onto the defensive
See also: offensive, on

go on(to) the ofˈfensive

,

take the ofˈfensive

start attacking somebody/something before they start attacking you: The president decided to take the offensive by developing a new strategy to discourage competition.
See also: go, offensive, on
Farlex Partner Idioms Dictionary
See also:
  • be on the offensive
  • under attack
  • attack
  • illness
  • an attack
  • an attack of (some illness)
  • go for the throat
  • (with)in striking distance
  • within striking distance
  • strike at the heart of (something)
References in periodicals archive
but we're not there in an offensive capacity, we're not there threatening Iraq." Those M-1 tanks slipped Donaldsonhs mind, evidently, since he didn't pursue the issue.
How they missed that story; the first casualty of Desert Shield was a skeptical press
But there are many other holes on their roster, including offensive line and pass rusher.
2019 NFL draft: The top positional needs for all 32 teams
"It means I can have two offensive midfielders because Alex can play there also but normally, most of the time, I will get one full-back on the pitch."
No substitute for the right BLEND; Seamus during a Finch Silva and SILVA ON WHAT HE LIKES ON THE BENCH - AND WHY HE CHANGED AGAINST WATFORD
Jacob Marnin is the elder statesman of the SIU offensive line.
Saluki football SIU's offensive line will be large and talented
A Home Office spokesperson said: Serious violence destroys lives and of the firearms world communities and our Offensive Weapons Bill forms a vital part of our efforts to keep people safe.
WEAPONS AT THE BORDER; Figures show a huge surge in the number of people being caught trying to smuggle knives into the UK
The annual spring offensive marks the beginning of the so-called fighting season.
Another spring offensive will result in more suffering, destruction: UNSC
It came as quite a surprise owing to LaFleur's limited experience when it comes to play calling 6 just one season with the Titans 6 as many expected New England Patriots offensive coordinator Josh McDaniels to get the nod to be the Packers' new head coach.
NFL Rumors: Packers Pick Matt LaFleur As Next Head Coach
- Ability to quickly limit results to those that have been verified and those for which Offensive Security has hosted a copy of the vulnerable application
OFFENSIVE SECURITY REDESIGNS EXPLOIT DATABASE
It may raise the question: How can anything charm and yet, at the same time, offend your sense organs?Yet the expression charm offensive does not raise any semantic problem because, in this context, the word offensive is not an adjective.
I hope a charm offensive does not offend you
Prior to the game against Ateneo, UE averaged 17.67 offensive rebounds-per-game making the Red Warriors the third-best squad under the offensive glass.
Taking on lead rebounding role for Ateneo energizes Kouame
Offensive Security has announced that Spectrum Equity, with participation by TenEleven Ventures has made a growth investment in Offensive Security, the company said.
Offensive Security receives investment from Spectrum Equity to expand penetration testing
Figure 2 shows the basic offensive and defensive zones, with the offensive zone being the 25 feet of the court in front of the restraining line for the service receiver, while the defensive zone is the 15 feet of the court behind the restraining line.
Percentages, solid arsenal off back wall provide edge
John, who has written other books on war, documents the stories of Welsh troops involved in the final period of World War I, including the Third Battle of Ypres and the storming of the Pilckem Ridge by the 38th (Welsh) Division and the Guards Division, the Welsh troops who fought in the final offensives at Passchendaele Ridge, the Battle of Cambrai, the final offensives in Palestine, the German offensive, and the Hundred Days Offensive.
Welsh at War: Through Mud to Victory: Third Ypres and the 1918 Offensives
The UK has been working towards building its offensive cyber capability since 2013, as part of its approach to deter adversaries and to deny them opportunities to attack, both in cyberspace and in the physical world.
Can state cyber attacks be justified under international law?
President Mohammad Ashraf Ghani in reaction to the announcement of the latest spring offensive by the Taliban group has said that the group has no justification for the launch of the offensive under the name of Al-Khandaq.
Ghani refutes Taliban's notion behind the group's latest spring offensive