Both Uses of
initiative
in
Death of a Salesman
- Coach'll probably congratulate you on your initiative!
Act 1 *initiative = determining what should be done and doing it without instruction
- BIFF: Oh, he keeps congratulating my initiative all the time, Pop. WILLY: That's because he likes you.†
Act 1initiative = the ability and tendency to determine what should be done and to start doing it without instruction; or to start something
Definition:
the ability and tendency to determine what should be done and to start doing it without instruction
or:
to start something
or:
to start something
The exact meaning of starting something depends upon the context. For example:
- "She did it on her own initiative." -- started it without anyone telling her to
- "She seized the initiative." -- started actions that force others to react to her rather than her having to react to them
- "the peace initiative" -- a plan or the start of actions to bring about something
- "a ballot initiative" -- a proposed law that is started by citizen petition rather than by the legislature (applicable in many jurisdictions such as California)