assault
Americannoun
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a sudden, violent attack; onslaught.
an assault on tradition.
- Synonyms:
- aggression, invasion, charge, onset
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Law. an unlawful physical attack upon another; an attempt or offer to do violence to another, with or without battery, as by holding a stone or club in a threatening manner.
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Military. the stage of close combat in an attack.
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rape.
verb (used with object)
noun
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a violent attack, either physical or verbal
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law an intentional or reckless act that causes another person to expect to be subjected to immediate and unlawful violence Compare battery 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
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to make an assault upon
-
to rape or attempt to rape
Related Words
See attack.
Other Word Forms
- assaultable adjective
- assaulter noun
- assaultive adjective
- counterassault verb (used with object)
- nonassault noun
- unassaultable adjective
- unassaulted adjective
Etymology
Origin of assault
First recorded in 1200–50; Middle English asaut, from Old French, from Medieval Latin assaltus “attacked,” past participle of assalīre “to attack, jump on,” replacing Latin assilīre, both ultimately from Latin as- as- + salīre “to jump, leap”
Example Sentences
Examples are provided to illustrate real-world usage of words in context. Any opinions expressed do not reflect the views of Dictionary.com.
“The funny thing we’ve learned over the years is actually the bad publicity sells far more seats than the good,” O’Leary said in a 2024 interview with The Wall Street Journal discussing the pie assault.
Three men – including James Carter and the man who had claimed he had been robbed – were initially arrested in connection with assault but later released pending further inquiries.
From BBC
Audi have set their targets on becoming "the most successful team in Formula 1 history" as they launched their assault on the highest level of the sport.
From BBC
The emergency services in Wales has run the With Us, Not Against Us campaign since 2021 in a bid to reduce assaults.
From BBC
Initial information indicated no casualties, though officials said the strike continued a pattern of repeated assaults on the Danube port region.
From Barron's
Definitions and idiom definitions from Dictionary.com Unabridged, based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2023
Idioms from The American Heritage® Idioms Dictionary copyright © 2002, 2001, 1995 by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. Published by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company.
