agonistic

2 definitions found

agonistic - Collaborative International Dictionary of English v.0.48 :

  Agonistic \Ag`o*nis"tic\, Agonistical \Ag`o*nis"tic*al\, a. [Gr.
     ?. See Agonism.]
     Pertaining to violent contests, bodily or mental; pertaining
     to athletic or polemic feats; athletic; combative; hence,
     strained; unnatural.
     [1913 Webster]
  
           As a scholar, he [Dr. Parr] was brilliant, but he
           consumed his power in agonistic displays. --De Quincey.
     [1913 Webster]

agonistic - WordNet (r) 2.1 (2005) :

  agonistic
      adj 1: of or relating to the athletic contests held in ancient
             Greece
      2: striving to overcome in argument; "a dialectical and
         agonistic approach" [syn: agonistic, agonistical,
         combative]
      3: struggling for effect; "agonistic poses" [syn: agonistic,
         strained]