attack

—attackable, adj. —attacker, n.

/euh tak"/, v.t.

1. to set upon in a forceful, violent, hostile, or aggressive way, with or without a weapon; begin fighting with: He attacked him with his bare hands.

2. to begin hostilities against; start an offensive against: to attack the enemy.

3. to blame or abuse violently or bitterly.

4. to direct unfavorable criticism against; criticize severely; argue with strongly: He attacked his opponent's statement.

5. to try to destroy, esp. with verbal abuse: to attack the mayor's reputation.

6. to set about (a task) or go to work on (a thing) vigorously: to attack housecleaning; to attack the hamburger hungrily.

7. (of disease, destructive agencies, etc.) to begin to affect.

v.i.

8. to make an attack; begin hostilities.

n.

9. the act of attacking; onslaught; assault.

10. a military offensive against an enemy or enemy position.

11. Pathol. seizure by disease or illness: an attack of indigestion.

12. the beginning or initiating of any action; onset.

13. an aggressive move in a performance or contest.

14. the approach or manner of approach in beginning a musical phrase.

[1590-1600; earlier atta(c)que < MF atta(c)quer < It attaccare to attack, ATTACH]

Syn. 1. storm, charge. ATTACK, ASSAIL, ASSAULT, MOLEST all mean to set upon someone forcibly, with hostile or violent intent. ATTACK is the most general word and applies to a beginning of hostilities, esp. those definitely planned: to attack from ambush. ASSAIL implies vehement, sudden, and sometimes repeated attack: to assail with weapons or with gossip. ASSAULT almost always implies bodily violence: to assault with intent to kill. To MOLEST is to harass, to threaten, or to assault: He was safe, and where no one could molest him. 4. censure; impugn, oppugn, abuse. 9. onset, encounter.

Ant. 1, 4. defend. 9. defense.

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