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attack |
5 definitions found From Webster's Revised Unabridged Dictionary (1913) [web1913]: Appel \Ap`pel"\, n. [F., prop., a call See {Appeal}, n.] (Fencing) A tap or stamp of the foot as a warning of intent to attack; -- called also {attack}. From Webster's Revised Unabridged Dictionary (1913) [web1913]: Attack \At*tack"\, v. i. To make an onset or attack. From Webster's Revised Unabridged Dictionary (1913) [web1913]: Attack \At*tack"\, n. [Cf. F. attaque.] 1. The act of attacking, or falling on with force or violence; an onset; an assault; -- opposed to defense. 2. An assault upon one's feelings or reputation with unfriendly or bitter words 3. A setting to work upon some task, etc 4. An access of disease; a fit of sickness. 5. The beginning of corrosive, decomposing, or destructive action by a chemical agent. From Webster's Revised Unabridged Dictionary (1913) [web1913]: Attack \At*tack"\, v. t. [imp. & p. p. {Attacked}; p. pr & vb n. {Attacking}.] [F. attaquer orig. another form of attacher to attack: cf It attacare to fasten, attack. See {Attach}, {Tack} a small nail.] 1. To fall upon with force; to assail, as with force and arms; to assault. ``Attack their lines.'' --Dryden. 2. 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. 3. To set to work upon as upon a task or problem, or some object of labor or investigation. 4. To begin to affect; to begin to act upon injuriously or destructively; to begin to decompose or waste. On the fourth of March he was attacked by fever. --Macaulay. Hydrofluoric acid . . . attacks the glass. --B. Stewart. Syn: To {Attack}, {Assail}, {Assault}, {Invade}. Usage: These words all denote a violent onset; attack being the generic term, and the others specific forms of attack. To attack is to commence the onset; to assail is to make a sudden and violent attack, or to make repeated attacks; to assault (literally, to leap upon) is to attack physically by a had-to-hand approach or by unlawful and insulting violence; to invade is to enter by force on what belongs to another. Thus a person may attack by offering violence of any kind he may assail by means of missile weapons; he may assault by direct personal violence; a king may invade by marching an army into a country. Figuratively, we may say men attack with argument or satire; they assail with abuse or reproaches; they may be assaulted by severe temptations; the rights of the people may be invaded by the encroachments of the crown. From WordNet r 1.6 [wn]: attack adj : used in an attack; "assault weapons", "attack planes" [syn: {assault(a)}, {attack(a)}] n 1: the beginning of an offensive; "the attack began at dawn" [syn: {onslaught}, {onset}, {onrush}] 2: an offensive move in a sport or game; "they won the game with a 10-hit attack in the 9th inning" 3: intense adverse criticism; "Clinton directed his fire at Jesse Helms" [syn: {fire}, {flak}, {blast}] 4: a formulation adopted in tackling a problem; "his approach to every problem is to draw up a list of pros and cons" [syn: {approach}, {plan of attack}] 5: an assault on someone "they made an attempt on his life" [syn: {attempt}] 6: a decisive manner of beginning a musical tone or phrase [syn: {tone-beginning}] 7: a sudden occurrence of an uncontrollable condition; "an attack of diarrhea" 8: turning your attention to a problem or a job etc.; "his attack on the problem was misguided"; "he did not make a direct assault on her affections" [syn: {assault}] v 1: 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: {assail}] [ant: {defend}] 2: attack verbally, in speech or writing; "The editors of the left-leaning paper attacked the new House Speaker" [syn: {round}, {assail}, {lash out}, {snipe}, {assault}] 3: take the initiative and go on the offensive: "The Serbs attacked the village at night"; "The visting team started to attack" [syn: {aggress}] 4: attack someone physically or emotionally; "The mugger assulted the woman"; "Nightmares assailed him regularly" [syn: {assail}, {assault}, {set on}] 5: set to work upon turn one's energies vigorously to a task; "I attacked the problem as soon as I got out of bed" 6: begin to injure; "The cancer cells are attacking his liver"; "Rust is attacking the metal"
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