noun
- Military) an offensive against an enemy (using weapons. ()
- usage: "the attack began at dawn"
- An offensive move in a sport or game.
- usage: "they won the game with a 10-hit attack in the 9th inning"
- Intense adverse criticism.
- usage: "Clinton directed his fire at the Republican Party"; "the government has come under attack"; "don't give me any flak"
- Ideas or actions intended to deal with a problem or situation.
- usage: "his approach to every problem is to draw up a list of pros and cons"; "an attack on inflation"; "his plan of attack was misguided"
- synonyms: approach, plan of attack
- The act of attacking.
- usage: "attacks on women increased last year"; "they made an attempt on his life"
- synonyms: attempt
- A decisive manner of beginning a musical tone or phrase.
- synonyms: tone-beginning
- A sudden occurrence of an uncontrollable condition.
- usage: "an attack of diarrhea"
- The onset of a corrosive or destructive process (as by a chemical agent. )
- usage: "the film was sensitive to attack by acids"; "open to attack by the elements"
- Strong criticism.
- usage: "he published an unexpected attack on my work"
verb
- Launch an attack or assault on; begin hostilities or start warfare with.
- usage: "Hitler attacked Poland on September 1, 1939 and started World War II"; "Serbian forces assailed Bosnian towns all week"
- synonyms: assail
- Attack in speech or writing.
- usage: "The editors of the left-leaning paper attacked the new House Speaker"
- Take the initiative and go on the offensive.
- usage: "The Serbs attacked the village at night"; "The visiting team started to attack"
- synonyms: aggress
- Attack someone physically or emotionally.
- usage: "The mugger assaulted the woman"; "Nightmares assailed him regularly"
- Set to work upon; turn one's energies vigorously to a task.
- usage: "I attacked the problem as soon as I got out of bed"
- Begin to injure.
- usage: "The cancer cells are attacking his liver"; "Rust is attacking the metal"