pitbull attitude
- noun
- Informal
:
actitud de pitbull
- You need a pitbull attitude if you want to survive in the competitive world of sales.
Examples
-
His pitbull attitude made him both respected and feared by his colleagues.
-
The team's pitbull attitude helped them overcome multiple setbacks during the project.
-
She approached the negotiation with a fierce pitbull attitude.
-
With his pitbull attitude, he never backs down from a challenge.
-
His pitbull attitude made him both respected and feared by his colleagues.
-
The team's pitbull attitude helped them overcome multiple setbacks during the project.
-
You need a pitbull attitude if you want to survive in the competitive world of sales.
Synonyms
101
3.5
Hostile or violent behavior toward others
12
4.6
Showing a readiness to attack or threaten others
10
4.1
Actions that hurt or try to control other people
1
9.9
A tendency to be aggressive and start fights
Antonyms
How Aggressive
- Informal
311
3.7
1
4.4
8
4.6
- Informal
27
4.5
Surface Forms
Morphology
pitbull + attitude
The phrase combines 'pitbull' (a dog breed stereotypically associated with aggression and tenacity) with 'attitude' (a habitual manner), so a learner who knows both words can plausibly infer an aggressive or determined manner. However, the meaning depends on a cultural metaphor/stereotype about the animal rather than a straightforward compositional rule, so it is not fully predictable for all B1 learners without that background.
Etymology
The expression pitbull attitude comes from the dog called the pitbull, which is known for holding on and fighting hard, and attitude here means a way of acting. So saying someone has a pitbull attitude means they are 'very determined' and often 'aggressive' when they face people or problems.