a. [ad. Gr. ἀγωνιστικ-ός οf or pertaining to an ἀγωνιστ-ής or AGONIST.]
1. Of or pertaining to the athletic contests of ancient Greece; hence, pertaining to athletic feats generally, athletic.
1648. Jos. Beaumont, Psyche, XI. ccvi. Smeared in ’s bloody Agonistik Gore.
1753. Chambers, Cycl. Supp., Agonistic amounts to much the same with athletic.
1857. Birch, Anc. Pottery (1858), II. 32. An Agonistic inscription … reading, ‘Damocleidas (was victor) in the horse race.’
1879. Farrar, St. Paul, I. 447. The many military and agonistic metaphors in his Epistles.
2. Rhet. Polemic, combative, striving to overcome in argument.
a. 1660. Hammond, Serm., 589 (T.). The prophetick writings were not, saith St. Peter, ιδίας ἐπιλύσεως (I conceive in an agonistick sense) of their own starting or incitation.
1677. Gale, Crt. of Gentiles, III. Pref. A thetic and dogmatic method, rather than agonistic and polemic.
1836. H. Taylor, Statesman, xxx. 225. If knowledge be argumentative and wit agonistic, the society becomes an arena.
a. 1857. De Quincey, Dr. Parr (Beeton), 241. As a scholar he was brilliant; but he consumed his power in agonistic displays.
3. Strained, aiming at effect; simulating strong feeling, tending to exaggeration of feeling.
1843. Carlyle, Past & Pr. (1858), 250. Agonistic posture-makings.
1864. I. Taylor, in Gd. Wds., 943. Long before the coming on of the modern agonistic paroxysm in literature.
