— attackable , adj. — attacker , n.
/euh tak"/ , v.t.
1. to set upon in a forceful, violent, hostile, or aggressive way, with or without a weapon; begin fighting with: He attacked him with his bare hands.
2. to begin hostilities against; start an offensive against: to attack the enemy.
3. to blame or abuse violently or bitterly.
4. to direct unfavorable criticism against; criticize severely; argue with strongly: He attacked his opponent's statement.
5. to try to destroy, esp. with verbal abuse: to attack the mayor's reputation.
6. to set about (a task) or go to work on (a thing) vigorously: to attack housecleaning; to attack the hamburger hungrily.
7. (of disease, destructive agencies, etc.) to begin to affect.
v.i.
8. to make an attack; begin hostilities.
n.
9. the act of attacking; onslaught; assault.
10. a military offensive against an enemy or enemy position.
11. Pathol. seizure by disease or illness: an attack of indigestion.
12. the beginning or initiating of any action; onset.
13. an aggressive move in a performance or contest.
14. the approach or manner of approach in beginning a musical phrase.
[ 1590-1600; earlier atta ( c ) que atta ( c ) quer attaccare to attack, ATTACH ]
Syn. 1. storm, charge. ATTACK, ASSAIL, ASSAULT, MOLEST all mean to set upon someone forcibly, with hostile or violent intent. ATTACK is the most general word and applies to a beginning of hostilities, esp. those definitely planned: to attack from ambush. ASSAIL implies vehement, sudden, and sometimes repeated attack: to assail with weapons or with gossip. ASSAULT almost always implies bodily violence: to assault with intent to kill. To MOLEST is to harass, to threaten, or to assault: He was safe, and where no one could molest him. 4. censure; impugn, oppugn, abuse. 9. onset, encounter.
Ant. 1, 4. defend. 9. defense.