assault (əˈsɔːlt
)
Definitions
noun
- a violent attack, either physical or verbal
- law an intentional or reckless act that causes another person to expect to be subjected to immediate and unlawful violence Compare battery (sense 4) , assault and battery
- the culmination of a military attack, in which fighting takes place at close quarters
- ((as modifier) ⇒
assault troops
- rape or attempted rape
verb (tr)
- to make an assault upon
- to rape or attempt to rape
Alternative Forms
asˈsaulter noun asˈsaultive adjectiveWord Origin
C13: from Old French asaut, from Vulgar Latin assaltus (unattested), from assalīre (unattested) to leap upon; see assailSynonyms
View thesaurus entry=
attack,
campaign,
strike,
rush,
storm,
storming,
raid,
invasion,
charge,
offensive,
onset,
onslaught,
foray,
incursion,
act of aggression
inroad,
=
abuse,
attack,
blame,
criticism,
censure,
vilification,
denigration,
calumny,
character assassination,
stick,
sideswipe,
impugnment,
Usage examples
The slab carrier had caught some of Bissolotti's assault men on the green.
, The Tartan Ringers (1986)On hearing of the traumatic assault , Ashcroft immediately sent out words of sympathy to the girl.
NME (New Musical Express) (2002)Mr Shatter later challenged the Minister for Justice, Mr O'Donoghue, to release the 2001 Garda report which details assault figures.
Irish Times (2002)Jimmy Calderwood, the Dunfermline manager, will begin rebuilding now for a renewed assault on the top six next season.
Glasgow Herald (2001)Furthermore, Welitsch's `frontal assault on the emotion' was, he said `a tour de force '.
, A TALE OF FOUR HOUSES: Opera at Covent Garden, La Scala, Vienna and the Met since 1945 (2003)