Minutes later, he took a mildly combative stance with reporters, saying the matter had been blown out of proportion.

They suddenly emerged from a posture of contrition and apology to take a combative stance against Congress.

And the former Mayor agrees that a combative stance must be carefully calibrated.

In the past few years, she has taken a more combative stance toward the city than Mr. Hill.

Oh yeah, she thought, noting his combative stance, he was going to give her grief.

Mallove's combative stance against what he saw as the hypocrisy of mainstream science gave him a high profile.

Mr. Bennett's combative stance on issues like affirmative action were well known.

Over the past decade Christopher Hitchens has taken a combative stance on world events.

As production starts to rise, workers have adopted a more combative stance and they rejected the pay offer outright at a meeting late Tuesday.

He paused in the doorway, in a combative stance, but the room was deserted.