I. as ‧ sault 1 /əˈsɔːlt $ əˈsɒːlt/ BrE AmE noun
[ Date: 1200-1300 ; Language: Old French ; Origin: assaut , from Latin assaltus , past participle of assalire ; ⇨ ↑ assail ]
1 . [uncountable and countable] the crime of physically attacking someone:
a case of robbery and assault
for assault
He was jailed for assault.
sexual/indecent assault
victims of indecent assault
assault on/against
sexual assaults on women
Several soldiers have been charged with assault.
2 . [uncountable and countable] a military attack to take control of a place controlled by the enemy
assault on
an unsuccessful assault on the enemy lines
The refugee camp came under assault again last night.
a powerful assault rifle
3 . [uncountable and countable] a strong spoken or written criticism of someone else’s ideas, plans etc SYN attack
assault on
an assault on the capitalist system
under assault
Traditional family values are increasingly under assault.
4 . [countable] an attempt to achieve something difficult, especially using physical force
assault on
an assault on Mt Everest (=an attempt to climb it)
• • •
COLLOCATIONS
■ adjectives
▪ a violent assault
The number of violent assaults in the city has reached an all-time high.
▪ a serious assault
Last year, serious assaults increased by 40%.
▪ a vicious/brutal assault
The vicious assault happened outside the man’s home.
▪ a sexual/indecent assault
Women who have suffered serious sexual assault are offered support and counselling.
▪ physical assault
There have even been physical assaults on witnesses.
▪ a racial assault
The four young Asian men were victims of a vicious racial assault.
■ verbs
▪ be charged with assault
He ended up in court charged with assault.
▪ carry out/commit an assault
She admitted to committing the assault.
▪ suffer an assault
The lawyer claimed she was drunk when she suffered the assault.
■ assault + NOUN
▪ an assault charge
He’s in jail on an assault charge.
▪ an assault case
She had to attend court as a witness in an assault case.
II. assault 2 BrE AmE verb [transitive]
1 . to attack someone in a violent way:
Two men assaulted him after he left the bar.
sexually/indecently assault
He was found guilty of indecently assaulting a student.
2 . literary if a feeling, sound, smell etc assaults you, it affects you in a way that makes you uncomfortable or upset:
The noises and smells of the market assaulted her senses.
3 . to strongly criticize someone’s ideas, plans etc
4 . to try to do something very difficult:
a task force to assault the problems
• • •
THESAURUS
■ to attack a person
▪ attack to use violence against someone and try to hurt them:
She was attacked by a man with a baseball bat.
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Police dogs are trained to attack.
▪ ambush /ˈæmbʊʃ/ if a group of people ambush someone, they hide and wait for them and then attack them:
The judge was ambushed by gunmen as he drove to work at the courthouse.
▪ mug to attack someone and take money from them in a public place such as a street:
He was mugged on his way home from school.
▪ stab to attack someone with a knife:
The victim had been stabbed in the neck.
▪ assault to attack and hurt someone – used especially when talking about this as a criminal ↑ offence :
He assaulted a flight attendant who refused to serve him more drinks.
▪ be set upon by somebody/something written to be attacked by a group of people:
He died outside his home after being set upon by a gang of youths.
▪ turn on to suddenly change your behaviour and attack the person you are with, when they do not expect this:
The dog suddenly turned on him, sinking its teeth into his arm.