- Main Entry:
- 1at·tack
- Pronunciation:
-
\ə-ˈtak\
- Function:
- verb
- Etymology:
- Middle French attaquer, from Old Italian *estaccare to attach, from stacca stake, of Germanic origin; akin to Old English staca
- Date:
- 1562
transitive verb
1
: to set upon or work against forcefully
2
: to assail with unfriendly or bitter words <a speech attacking her political enemies>
3
: to begin to affect or to act on injuriously <plants attacked by aphids>
4
: to set to work on <attack a problem>
5
: to threaten (a piece in chess) with immediate capture
intransitive verb
: to make an attack
— at·tack·er noun
synonyms attack,
assail,
assault,
bombard,
storm mean to make an onslaught upon.
attack implies taking the initiative in a struggle
<plan to attack the town at dawn>.
assail implies attempting to break down resistance by repeated blows or shots
<assailed the enemy with artillery fire>.
assault suggests a direct attempt to overpower by suddenness and violence of onslaught
<commandos assaulted the building from all sides>.
bombard applies to attacking with bombs or shells
<bombarded the city nightly>.
storm implies attempting to break into a defended position
<preparing to storm the fortress>.
