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.

Common Names:

Name	Pronounced	Usage
Adelbert	AH:-dəl-bərt (Dutch)	German, Dutch
Fungai	-	Southern African, Shona
ÉRic	er-EEK	French
Ives	-	History
Gizella	-	Hungarian
Hilda	['hildə]