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assail

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assail


  2  definitions  found 
 
  From  Webster's  Revised  Unabridged  Dictionary  (1913)  [web1913]: 
 
  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.  assilire  to  leap  or  spring  upon  See 
  {Sally}.] 
  1.  To  attack  with  violence,  or  in  a  vehement  and  hostile 
  manner;  to  assault;  to  molest;  as  to  assail  a  man  with 
  blows;  to  assail  a  city  with  artillery. 
 
  No  rude  noise  mine  ears  assailing.  --Cowper. 
 
  No  storm  can  now  assail  The  charm  he  wears  within. 
  --Keble. 
 
  2.  To  encounter  or  meet  purposely  with  the  view  of  mastering, 
  as  an  obstacle,  difficulty,  or  the  like 
 
  The  thorny  wilds  the  woodmen  fierce  assail.  --Pope. 
 
  3.  To  attack  morally,  or  with  a  view  to  produce  changes  in 
  the  feelings,  character,  conduct,  existing  usages, 
  institutions;  to  attack  by  words  hostile  influence,  etc.; 
  as  to  assail  one  with  appeals,  arguments,  abuse, 
  ridicule,  and  the  like 
 
  The  papal  authority  .  .  .  assailed.  --Hallam. 
 
  They  assailed  him  with  keen  invective;  they  assailed 
  him  with  still  keener  irony.  --Macaulay. 
 
  Syn:  To  attack;  assault;  invade;  encounter;  fall  upon  See 
  {Attack}. 
 
  From  WordNet  r  1.6  [wn]: 
 
  assail 
  v  1:  attack  someone  physically  or  emotionally;  "The  mugger 
  assulted  the  woman";  "Nightmares  assailed  him  regularly" 
  [syn:  {assault},  {set  on},  {attack}] 
  2:  launch  an  attack  or  assault  on  begin  hostilities  with  as 
  in  warfare;  "Hitler  attacked  Poland  on  September  1,  1939 
  and  started  World  War  II";  "Serbian  forces  assailed 
  Bosnian  towns  all  week"  [syn:  {attack}]  [ant:  {defend}] 
  3:  attack  verbally,  in  speech  or  writing;  "The  editors  of  the 
  left-leaning  paper  attacked  the  new  House  Speaker"  [syn:  {attack}, 
  {round},  {lash  out},  {snipe},  {assault}] 




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