Antedating of "Aggressive"

[Fred Shapiro]

This is one of the most surprisingly weak first uses I have ever
encountered in the OED, considering that Samuel Richardson was a major
author whose works were presumably read carefully by OED.


aggressive (OED 1824)

1716 Well-wisher to his King and country. The Tories address to King
G----e. A satirical poem. Representing the conduct of that set of men,
from their origin, to the present time. 37 (Eighteenth Century Collections
Online)  As if All-ruling Providence Were pleas'd to punish our Offence,
By our _Aggressive_ Treasons vile.

1749 Samuel Richardson _Clarissa_ (ed. 2) IV. 104 (Eighteenth Century
Collections Online)  Yet is pleased, that he proposes to avoid
_aggressive_ violence, if her Brother and he meet in town.

Fred Shapiro


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Fred R. Shapiro                             Editor
Associate Librarian for Collections and     YALE DICTIONARY OF QUOTATIONS
  Access and Lecturer in Legal Research     Yale University Press,
Yale Law School                             forthcoming
e-mail: fred.shapiro at yale.edu               http://quotationdictionary.com
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