I. ə-ˈsȯlt noun
Etymology: Middle English assaut, from Anglo-French, from Vulgar Latin * assaltus, from assalire
Date: 14th century
1.
a. : a violent physical or verbal attack
b. : a military attack usually involving direct combat with enemy forces
c. : a concerted effort (as to reach a goal or defeat an adversary)
2.
a. : a threat or attempt to inflict offensive physical contact or bodily harm on a person (as by lifting a fist in a threatening manner) that puts the person in immediate danger of or in apprehension of such harm or contact — compare battery 1b
b. : rape 2
II. verb
Date: 15th century
transitive verb
1. : to make an assault on
2. : rape 2
intransitive verb
: to make an assault
Synonyms: see attack
• as·sault·er noun