Initiative

5 definitions found

From The Collaborative International Dictionary of English v.0.48 [gcide]:

  Initiative \In*i"ti*a*tive\, a. [Cf. F. initiatif.]
     Serving to initiate; inceptive; initiatory; introductory;
     preliminary.
     [1913 Webster]

From The Collaborative International Dictionary of English v.0.48 [gcide]:



  Initiative \In*i"ti*a*tive\, n. [Cf. F. initiative.]
     1. An introductory step or movement; an act which originates
        or begins.
        [1913 Webster]
  
              The undeveloped initiatives of good things to come.
                                                    --I. Taylor.
        [1913 Webster]
  
     2. The right or power to introduce a new measure or course of
        action, as in legislation; as, the initiative in respect
        to revenue bills is in the House of Representatives.
        [1913 Webster]
  
     3. (Political Science) The right or procedure by which
        legislation may be introduced or enacted directly by the
        people, as in the Swiss Confederation and in many of the
        States of the United States; -- chiefly used with the. The
        procedure of the initiative is essentially as follows:
        Upon the filing of a petition signed by a required number
        or percentage of qualified voters the desired measure must
        be submitted to a popular vote, and upon receiving the
        required majority (commonly a majority of those voting on
        the measure submitted) it becomes a law. In some States of
        the United States the initiative is only local; in others
        it is state-wide and includes the making of constitutional
        amendments.
        [Webster 1913 Suppl.]
  
     4. a character trait manifested in a readiness and ability to
        initiate action; an enterprising spirit; a go-getting
        attitude; energy; drive; get-up-and-go.
        [PJC]
  
     5. in interactive activities, such as conversation or games,
        the right or opportunity to set the course of action; as,
        to have the initiative.
        [PJC]

From WordNet (r) 2.0 [wn]:

  initiative
       adj : serving to set in motion; "the magazine's inaugural issue";
             "the initiative phase in the negotiations"; "an
             initiatory step toward a treaty"; "his first (or
             maiden) speech in Congress"; "the liner's maiden
             voyage" [syn: {inaugural}, {initiatory}, {first}, {maiden}]
       n 1: readiness to embark on bold new ventures [syn: {enterprise},
             {enterprisingness}, {go-ahead}]
       2: the first of a series of actions; "he memorized all the
          important chess openings" [syn: {first step}, {opening
          move}, {opening}]

From Moby Thesaurus II by Grady Ward, 1.0 [moby-thes]:

  133 Moby Thesaurus words for "initiative":
     abecedarian, aboriginal, adventuresomeness, adventurousness,
     aggression, aggressiveness, alpha, ambition, ambitiousness,
     antenatal, autochthonous, bang, baptismal, beginning, breaking-in,
     budding, constitutional referendum, creative, dash,
     direct initiative, drive, dynamism, elan, elemental, elementary,
     embryonic, energy, enterprise, enterprisingness,
     facultative referendum, fetal, fire, first, first blush,
     first glance, first impression, first inning, first lap,
     first move, first round, first sight, first stage, first step,
     force, forcefulness, formative, foundational, fundamental, gambit,
     gestatory, get-up-and-get, get-up-and-go, getup, ginger, go,
     go-ahead, go-getting, go-to-itiveness, gumption, hustle, in embryo,
     in its infancy, in the bud, inaugural, inceptive, inchoate,
     inchoative, incipient, incunabular, indirect initiative, infant,
     infantile, initial, initiatory, introductive, introductory,
     inventive, kick, le premier pas, lead, leadership, mandate,
     mandatory referendum, nascent, natal, opening move, original,
     parturient, pep, pepper, piss and vinegar, pizzazz, plebiscite,
     plebiscitum, poop, postnatal, pregnant, prenatal, primal, primary,
     prime, primeval, primitive, primitiveness, primitivity,
     primogenial, procreative, punch, push, pushfulness, pushiness,
     pushingness, recall, referendum, resourcefulness, rudimental,
     rudimentary, snap, spirit, spunk, starch, statutory referendum,
     thrust, up-and-comingness, ur, venturesomeness, venturousness,
     verve, vigor, vim, warming-up, zing, zip
  
  

From Bouvier's Law Dictionary, Revised 6th Ed (1856) [bouvier]:

  INITIATIVE, French law. The name given to the important prerogative given by 
  the charte constitutionelle, art. 16, to the late king to propose through 
  his ministers projects of laws. 1 Toull. n. 39. See Veto.