Aggression

the action of a state in violating by force the rights of another state, particularly its territorial rights; an unprovoked offensive, attack, invasion, or the like:
the army is prepared to stop any foreign aggression.
any offensive action, attack, or procedure; an inroad or encroachment:
an aggression upon one’s rights.
the practice of making -ssaults or attacks; offensive action in general.
psychiatry. overt or suppressed hostility, either innate or resulting from continued frustration and directed outward or against oneself.
contemporary examples

how much does a mother need to drink during pregnancy to raise the level of aggression in her offspring by 30 percent?
what made the boston bombers do it adrian raine may 2, 2013

pit bulls, he says, are hard-wired for aggression and generally do not make safe pets.
dog books: loving dogs and michael vick’s crimes reviewed elizabeth hess november 9, 2010

“marijuana use did not increase the odds of any type of aggression,” the authors concluded.
another hazy week for weed abby haglage august 31, 2014

hiroshima and nagasaki were the consequence of j-panese aggression.
bullying israeli government flack sparks diplomatic row—among other concerns noga tarnopolsky august 20, 2013

we ought to seek chinese cooperation in a response to this north korean act of aggression.
obama could hit china to punish north korea shane harris, tim mak december 19, 2014

historical examples

is it against nature that that aggression should be successful?
history of the expedition to russia count philip de segur

there was no aggression in the tone, and yet chip felt a curious chill.
the letter of the contract basil king

i admit that so long as there is danger, as i believe there is, from german aggression, we must arm.
the great illusion norman angell

they were not prepared to pledge their neutrality in case of aggression by germany.
current history, a monthly magazine new york times

the dutch aggression, as a matter of fact, was not confined to south america.
south america w. h. koebel

noun
an attack or harmful action, esp an unprovoked attack by one country against another
any offensive activity, practice, etc: an aggression against personal liberty
(psychol) a hostile or destructive mental att-tude or behaviour
n.

1610s, “unprovoked attack,” from french aggression (16c.), from latin aggressionem (nominative aggressio) “a going to, an attack,” noun of action from past participle stem of aggredi “to approach; attack,” from ad- “to” (see ad-) + gradi (past participle gressus) “to step,” from gradus “a step” (see grade). psychological sense of “hostile or destructive behavior” first recorded 1912 in a.a. brill’s translation of freud.

aggression ag·gres·sion (ə-grěsh’ən)
n.
hostile or destructive behavior or actions.
aggression
(ə-grěsh’ən)
behavior that is meant to intimidate or injure an animal of the same species or of a competing species but is not predatory. aggression may be displayed during mating rituals or to defend territory, as by the erection of fins by fish and feathers by birds.