initiative

Universal Words noun 1 [C] a new plan for dealing with a particular problem or for achieving a particular purpose: a United Nations peace initiative * a government initiative to combat unemployment 2 [U] the ability to decide and act on your own without waiting for sb to tell you what to do: You won't get much help. You'll have to use your initiative. * Too much bureaucracy represses creativity and initiative. * She did it on her own initiative (= without anyone telling her to do it). 3 (the initiative) [sing.] the power or opportunity to act and gain an advantage before other people do: to seize / lose the initiative * It was up to the US to take the initiative in repairing relations.