Attack
[ə'tæk]
Definition
(noun.) a decisive manner of beginning a musical tone or phrase.
(noun.) an offensive move in a sport or game; 'they won the game with a 10-hit attack in the 9th inning'.
(noun.) the act of attacking; 'attacks on women increased last year'; 'they made an attempt on his life'.
(noun.) (military) an offensive against an enemy (using weapons); 'the attack began at dawn'.
(noun.) strong criticism; 'he published an unexpected attack on my work'.
(noun.) the onset of a corrosive or destructive process (as by a chemical agent); 'the film was sensitive to attack by acids'; 'open to attack by the elements'.
(noun.) a sudden occurrence of an uncontrollable condition; 'an attack of diarrhea'.
(verb.) begin to injure; 'The cancer cells are attacking his liver'; 'Rust is attacking the metal'.
(verb.) set to work upon; turn one's energies vigorously to a task; 'I attacked the problem as soon as I got out of bed'.
(verb.) attack in speech or writing; 'The editors of the left-leaning paper attacked the new House Speaker'.
(verb.) take the initiative and go on the offensive; 'The Serbs attacked the village at night'; 'The visiting team started to attack'.
(verb.) launch an attack or assault on; begin hostilities or start warfare with; 'Hitler attacked Poland on September 1, 1939 and started World War II'; 'Serbian forces assailed Bosnian towns all week'.
Typist: Thaddeus--From WordNet
Definition
(v. t.) To fall upon with force; to assail, as with force and arms; to assault.
(v. t.) To assail with unfriendly speech or writing; to begin a controversy with; to attempt to overthrow or bring into disrepute, by criticism or satire; to censure; as, to attack a man, or his opinions, in a pamphlet.
(v. t.) To set to work upon, as upon a task or problem, or some object of labor or investigation.
(v. t.) To begin to affect; to begin to act upon, injuriously or destructively; to begin to decompose or waste.
(v. i.) To make an onset or attack.
(n.) The act of attacking, or falling on with force or violence; an onset; an assault; -- opposed to defense.
(n.) An assault upon one's feelings or reputation with unfriendly or bitter words.
(n.) A setting to work upon some task, etc.
(n.) An access of disease; a fit of sickness.
(n.) The beginning of corrosive, decomposing, or destructive action, by a chemical agent.
Edited by Edward
Synonyms and Synonymous
v. a. [1]. Assail, assault, STORM, encounter, invade, charge, engage, oppugn, TACKLE, have at, set upon, fly at, run at, make a run at, rush upon, spring upon, have a fling at, have a cut at, bear down upon, make aggression on, ride full tilt against, PITCH INTO.[2]. Impugn, censure, criticise, reflect upon, pass censure on.
n. Assault, onset, onslaught, charge, thrust, encounter, invasion, aggression, descent, OFFENCE.
Inputed by Angela
Synonyms and Antonyms
SYN:Invasion, assault, onset, aggression, onslaught
ANT:Defense, resistance, repulse, protection, aid, vindication, support,maintenance, shelter
Typist: Ralph
Definition
v.t. to fall upon violently: to assault: to assail with unfriendly words or writing: to begin to affect fall upon (of diseases).—n. an assault or onset: the offensive part in any contest: the beginning of active operations on anything even dinner: severe criticism or calumny.—adj. Attack′able.
Checked by Horatio
Examples
- I say this here for two reasons--because I hope to avoid the critical attack of the genuine Marxian specialist, and because the observation is, I believe, relevant to our subject. Walter Lippmann. A Preface to Politics.
- The attack was made and many shots fell within the fort, creating some consternation, as we now know. Ulysses S. Grant. Personal Memoirs of U. S. Grant.
- Sherman responded to this attack on his lines of communication by directing one upon theirs. Ulysses S. Grant. Personal Memoirs of U. S. Grant.
- You are preparing the attack? Hemingway, Ernest. For Whom The Bell Tolls.
- But what did you hear about her second attack of faintness yesterday evening? Wilkie Collins. The Woman in White.
- Here he manoeuvred to give the impression that we were going to attack the left flank of Lee's army. Ulysses S. Grant. Personal Memoirs of U. S. Grant.
- The time, however, was spent in strengthening the intrenchments and making our position generally more secure against a sudden attack. Ulysses S. Grant. Personal Memoirs of U. S. Grant.
- Hence it was necessary to maintain a constant vigilance to defeat the insidious attacks of carping critics and others who would attempt to injure the Edison system by misleading statements. Frank Lewis Dyer. Edison, His Life and Inventions.
- I infer from what he told me that he is subject to such attacks. Charles Dickens. Our Mutual Friend.
- There were heavy attacks on either side that ended in bloody repulses. H. G. Wells. The Outline of History_Being a Plain History of Life and Mankind.
- Chloride of lime when exposed to the air and moisture slowly gives off chlorine, and can be used as a disinfectant because the gas thus set free attacks germs and destroys them. Bertha M. Clark. General Science.
- On the occasion when I was present one of the bulls was not turned aside by the attacks in the rear, the presentations of the red flag, etc. Ulysses S. Grant. Personal Memoirs of U. S. Grant.
- But it has stood all attacks, and went on well, notwithstanding the Assembly repealed its charter. Benjamin Franklin. Memoirs of Benjamin Franklin.
- It needed all Jane's steady mildness to bear these attacks with tolerable tranquillity. Jane Austen. Pride and Prejudice.
- When Mrs. Sykes is afraid of the house being attacked and broke open--as she is every night--I get quite excited. Charlotte Bronte. Shirley.
- He was never ostracized--his prestige with the quieter citizens saved him from that; but he was attacked with increasing boldness and steadfastness. H. G. Wells. The Outline of History_Being a Plain History of Life and Mankind.
- He attacked it from the European side, and with a great power of artillery. H. G. Wells. The Outline of History_Being a Plain History of Life and Mankind.
- It was well we were not attacked in our march, for our arms were of the most ordinary sort, and our men could not keep the locks of their guns dry. Benjamin Franklin. Memoirs of Benjamin Franklin.
- From the sound that we have heard they have attacked and been beaten off. Hemingway, Ernest. For Whom The Bell Tolls.
- The stove stood near my desk, he attacked it; the little iron door was nearly dashed from its hinges, the fuel was made to fly. Charlotte Bronte. Villette.
- He had defended the Sierra well and he wanted to be left alone there to defend it whenever it was attacked. Hemingway, Ernest. For Whom The Bell Tolls.
- Are you attacking? Hemingway, Ernest. For Whom The Bell Tolls.
- He did make exactly this move, attacking, however, the enemy through the belt of woods covering the west slope of the hill for a short distance. Ulysses S. Grant. Personal Memoirs of U. S. Grant.
- All educational reformers, as we have had occasion to remark, are given to attacking the passivity of traditional education. John Dewey. Democracy and Education.
- I replied to the President that I had taken steps to prevent Lee from sending reinforcements to Early, by attacking the former where he was. Ulysses S. Grant. Personal Memoirs of U. S. Grant.
- We had now become the attacking party. Ulysses S. Grant. Personal Memoirs of U. S. Grant.
- If her aunt's feelings were against her, nothing could be hoped from attacking her understanding. Jane Austen. Mansfield Park.
- THOMAS, Chattanooga: All preparations should be made for attacking the enemy's position on Missionary Ridge by Saturday at daylight. Ulysses S. Grant. Personal Memoirs of U. S. Grant.
Typed by Justine