/ əˈsɔːlt; NAmE / noun , verb
■ noun
1.
[ U , C ] assault (on / upon sb) the crime of attacking sb physically :
Both men were charged with assault.
A significant number of indecent assaults on women go unreported.
sexual assaults
2.
[ C ] assault (on / upon / against sb/sth) ( by an army, etc. ) the act of attacking a building, an area, etc. in order to take control of it
SYN attack :
An assault on the capital was launched in the early hours of the morning.
3.
[ C ] assault (on / upon sth) the act of trying to achieve sth that is difficult or dangerous :
The government has mounted a new assault on unemployment (= in order to reduce it) .
Three people died during an assault on the mountain (= while trying to climb it) .
4.
[ C ] assault (on / upon / against sb/sth) an act of criticizing sb/sth severely
SYN attack :
The paper's assault on the president was totally unjustified.
The suggested closures came under assault from all parties.
■ verb [ vn ]
1.
to attack sb violently, especially when this is a crime :
He has been charged with assaulting a police officer.
Four women have been sexually assaulted in the area recently.
2.
( formal ) to affect your senses in a way that is very unpleasant or uncomfortable :
Loud rock music assaulted our ears.
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WORD ORIGIN
Middle English : from Old French asaut (noun), assauter (verb), based on Latin ad- to + saltare , frequentative of salire to leap. Compare with assail .