assail

assail
assailable, adj.assailableness, n.assailer, n.assailment, n.
/euh sayl"/, v.t.
1. to attack vigorously or violently; assault.
2. to attack with arguments, criticism, ridicule, abuse, etc.: to assail one's opponent with slander.
3. to undertake with the purpose of mastering: He assailed his studies with new determination.
4. to impinge upon; make an impact on; beset: His mind was assailed by conflicting arguments. The light assailed their eyes.
[1175-1225; ME asaylen < OF asalir < LL assalire, equiv. to L as- AS- + salire to leap, spring]
Syn. 1. See attack. 2. asperse, malign.

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  • Assail — As*sail ([a^]s*s[=a]l ), v. t. [imp. & p. p. {Assailed} ( s[=a]ld ); p. pr. & vb. n. {Assailing}.] [OE. assailen, asailen, OF. asaillir, assailler, F. assaillir; a (L. ad) + saillir to burst out, project, fr. L. salire to leap, spring; cf. L.… …   The Collaborative International Dictionary of English

  • Assail — may refer to:* Assail (Malazan), a continent in the Malazan Book of the Fallen series * HMAS Assail (P 89), an Attack class patrol boat * USS Assail (AM 147), an Admirable class minesweeperee also* Assail Bank * Assailant …   Wikipedia

  • assail — (v.) c.1200, from O.Fr. assalir attack, assault, assail (12c., Mod.Fr. assaillir), from V.L. *adsalire to leap at, from L. ad at (see AD (Cf. ad )) + salire to leap (see SALIENT (Cf. salient)). Figurative use from mid 14c. Related …   Etymology dictionary

  • assail — I verb accost, adgredi, adoriri, advance against, advance upon, aggress, assault, assault belligerently, attack, beset, encounter, fall upon, invade, mug, oppugn, oppugnare, rush upon, savage, set upon, set upon with violence, storm, thrust at,… …   Law dictionary

  • assail — bombard, *attack, assault, storm Analogous words: beset (see INFEST): belabor, pummel, buffet, pound, *beat …   New Dictionary of Synonyms

  • assail — [v] attack, usually with words abuse, assault, bash, berate, beset, blast, blister, bust, charge, come at, criticize, encounter, have at*, impugn, invade, lambaste, lay into*, malign, maltreat, molest, revile, set upon*, trash*, vilify, work… …   New thesaurus

  • assail — ► VERB 1) attack violently. 2) (of an unpleasant feeling) come upon (someone) strongly. ORIGIN Latin assalire, from salire to leap …   English terms dictionary

  • assail — [ə sāl′] vt. [ME assailen < OFr asaillir < VL assalire, for L assilire, to leap on < ad , to + salire, to leap: see SALIENT] 1. to attack physically and violently; assault 2. to attack with arguments, questions, doubts, etc. 3. to begin… …   English World dictionary

  • assail — v. (formal) to assail bitterly * * * [ə seɪl] (formal) to assail bitterly …   Combinatory dictionary

  • assail — UK [əˈseɪl] / US verb [transitive] Word forms assail : present tense I/you/we/they assail he/she/it assails present participle assailing past tense assailed past participle assailed 1) to make someone feel worried or upset He was assailed by… …   English dictionary

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