[a. Fr. aggresse-r (Cotgr.) earlier agresser, ad. med. and ? late L. aggressāre, freq. of aggred-i to approach, attack, f. ad to, at + grad-i to march, step.]

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  † 1.  intr. To approach, march forward. Obs.

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c. 1575.  Cambyses, in Hazl., Dodsl., IV. 172. Behold, I see him now aggress, And enter into place.

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  2.  intr. To make an attack; to set upon; ‘to commit the first act of violence; to begin the quarrel.’ J. Const. on.

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1706.  Prior, Ode to Queen, 8 (J.).                 Tell aggressing France How Britain’s Sons and Britain’s Friends can fight.

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1837.  J. Harris, Gt. Teacher, 322. The only domains on which his empire aggresses are those of ignorance, sense, and sin.

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1851.  H. Spencer, Soc. Stat., xxi. § 8. The moral law says—Do not aggress.

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  3.  trans. To set upon, attack, assault.

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1775.  Ash, Aggress, v.t. to set upon, to attack, to begin a quarrel.

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1882.  Sat. Rev., 25 Feb., 225. Roaring lions to be going about seeking whom they may aggress (the verb, though little used, is strictly in accordance with analogy).

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