offensive

1. (countable, military) An attack.Examples: "The Marines today launched a major offensive."; "In Central Hupeh, the Japanese launched another offensive from the Kingshan region, but instead of moving southwestward to cooperate with another column of theirs to capture Shasi, this column swerved to the northwest and succeeded in capturing Chunghsiang on the Han River."; "Israel has launched a major aerial and ground offensive into the occupied West Bank city of Jenin, its biggest military operation in the Palestinian territory in years, in what it described as an “extensive counter-terrorism effort”."countable

2. (uncountable) The posture of attacking or being able to attack.Examples: "He took the offensive in the press, accusing his opponent of corruption."uncountable