ATTACK • DICCIONARIO INGLES.COM • Definition of Attack

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/ətˈæk/ Listen

Attack

noun

1.

(military) an offensive against an enemy (using weapons). Synonyms: onrush, onset, onslaught.

2.

An offensive move in a sport or game.

3.

Intense adverse criticism. Synonyms: blast, fire, flack, flak. "The government has come under attack" , "Don't give me any flak"

4.

Ideas or actions intended to deal with a problem or situation. Synonyms: approach, plan of attack. "An attack on inflation" , "His plan of attack was misguided"

5.

The act of attacking. Synonym: attempt. "They made an attempt on his life"

6.

A decisive manner of beginning a musical tone or phrase. Synonym: tone-beginning.

7.

A sudden occurrence of an uncontrollable condition.

8.

The onset of a corrosive or destructive process (as by a chemical agent). "Open to attack by the elements"

9.

Strong criticism.

verb

(past & past part. attacked; pres. part. attacking)

1.

Launch an attack or assault on; begin hostilities or start warfare with. Synonym: assail. "Serbian forces assailed Bosnian towns all week"

2.

Attack in speech or writing. Synonyms: assail, assault, lash out, round, snipe.

3.

Take the initiative and go on the offensive. Synonym: aggress. "The visiting team started to attack"

4.

Attack someone physically or emotionally. Synonyms: assail, assault, set on. "Nightmares assailed him regularly"

5.

Set to work upon; turn one's energies vigorously to a task.

6.

Begin to injure. "Rust is attacking the metal"

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WordNet 3.0 © 2010 Princeton University

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"Attack" Quotes from Famous Books

... himself or perish. But a woman's part is passive, say what you like, and shuffle the facts of the world as you may, hinting at lack of energy, of wisdom, of courage. As a matter of fact, almost all women have all that—of their own kind. But they are not made for attack. Wait they must. I am speaking here of women who are really women. And it's no use talking of opportunities, either. I know that some of them do talk of it. But not the genuine women. Those know better. ...

— Chance • Joseph Conrad

... recently with his right arm in a sling and his head bandaged to that extent that it looked like the stick made to accompany the Centennial bass-drum. The old man evidently expected an attack all around, for he was unusually quiet, and fumbled in his pockets in an embarrassed manner. He was not mistaken. The agricultural editor was ...

— Uncle Remus • Joel Chandler Harris

... lips and stood back as Lesley escaped by the door of the front drawing-room. Mr. Brooke's eye was upon him, and he could not therefore follow her; but he made his way into the library through the folding doors, and there a new mode of attack became visible to him. By the library door he gained the landing; and then he softly descended the stairs, which were now almost deserted, for the guests had crowded into the drawing-room, first to hear Lesley's song and then to listen to a recitation by Ethel Kenyon. ...

— Brooke's Daughter - A Novel • Adeline Sergeant

... I saw all who were separated from the Church plunged into the depths of infidelity, superstition, heresy, and false worldly philosophy; and they gave vent to their fierce rage by joining together in large bodies to attack the Church, being urged on by the serpent which was disporting itself in the midst of them. Alas! it was as though Jesus himself had been torn ...

— The Dolorous Passion of Our Lord Jesus Christ • Anna Catherine Emmerich

... its operation. For example: one nation is preparing to invade another; but before the threatened invasion takes place, the latter attacks the former as the best mode of repelling the invasion. In this case, the party making the attack acts on the defensive. (Sec.10.) The contending parties are called belligerents. The word belligerent is from the Latin bellum, war, and gero, to wage or carry on. Nations that take no part in ...

— The Government Class Book • Andrew W. Young

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