Attacks and Attack

noun

• Military) an offensive against an enemy (using weapons. ()
  • usage: "the attack began at dawn"
  • synonyms: onslaught, onset, onrush
• 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"
  • synonyms: fire, flak, flack, blast
• 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"
  • synonyms: round, assail, lash out, snipe, assault
• 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"
  • synonyms: assail, assault, set on
• 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"

• (n.) A setting to work upon some task, etc.
• (v.t.) To begin to affect; to begin to act upon, injuriously or destructively; to begin to decompose or waste.
• (n.) An assault upon one's feelings or reputation with unfriendly or bitter words.
• (v.t.) 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.
• (v.t.) To fall upon with force; to assail, as with force and arms; to assault.
• (v.t.) To set to work upon, as upon a task or problem or some object of labor or investigation.
• (n.) The beginning of corrosive, decomposing or destructive action, by a chemical agent.
• (n.) An access of disease; a fit of sickness.
• (n.) The act of attacking or falling on with force or violence; an onset; an assault; -- opposed to defense.
• (v.i.) To make an onset or attack.