Hypertext Webster Gateway: "attack"
From Webster's Revised Unabridged Dictionary (1913) (web1913)
Appel \Ap`pel"\, n. [F., prop., a call. See {Appeal}, n.]
(Fencing)
A tap or stamp of the foot as a warning of intent to attack;
-- called also {attack}.
From Webster's Revised Unabridged Dictionary (1913) (web1913)
Attack \At*tack"\, v. i.
To make an onset or attack.
From Webster's Revised Unabridged Dictionary (1913) (web1913)
Attack \At*tack"\, n. [Cf. F. attaque.]
1. The act of attacking, or falling on with force or
violence; an onset; an assault; -- opposed to defense.
2. An assault upon one's feelings or reputation with
unfriendly or bitter words.
3. A setting to work upon some task, etc.
4. An access of disease; a fit of sickness.
5. The beginning of corrosive, decomposing, or destructive
action, by a chemical agent.
From Webster's Revised Unabridged Dictionary (1913) (web1913)
Attack \At*tack"\, v. t. [imp. & p. p. {Attacked}; p. pr. & vb.
n. {Attacking}.] [F. attaquer, orig. another form of attacher
to attack: cf. It. attacare to fasten, attack. See {Attach},
{Tack} a small nail.]
1. To fall upon with force; to assail, as with force and
arms; to assault. ``Attack their lines.'' --Dryden.
2. To assail with unfriendly speech or writing; to begin a
controversy with; to attempt to overthrow or bring into
disrepute, by criticism or satire; to censure; as, to
attack a man, or his opinions, in a pamphlet.
3. To set to work upon, as upon a task or problem, or some
object of labor or investigation.
4. To begin to affect; to begin to act upon, injuriously or
destructively; to begin to decompose or waste.
On the fourth of March he was attacked by fever.
--Macaulay.
Hydrofluoric acid . . . attacks the glass. --B.
Stewart.
Syn: To {Attack}, {Assail}, {Assault}, {Invade}.
Usage: These words all denote a violent onset; attack being
the generic term, and the others specific forms of
attack. To attack is to commence the onset; to assail
is to make a sudden and violent attack, or to make
repeated attacks; to assault (literally, to leap upon)
is to attack physically by a had-to-hand approach or
by unlawful and insulting violence; to invade is to
enter by force on what belongs to another. Thus, a
person may attack by offering violence of any kind; he
may assail by means of missile weapons; he may assault
by direct personal violence; a king may invade by
marching an army into a country. Figuratively, we may
say, men attack with argument or satire; they assail
with abuse or reproaches; they may be assaulted by
severe temptations; the rights of the people may be
invaded by the encroachments of the crown.
From WordNet (r) 1.7 (wn)
attack
adj : used in an attack; "assault weapons", "attack planes" [syn:
{assault(a)}, {attack(a)}]
n 1: an offensive against and enemy (using weapons); "the attack
began at dawn" [syn: {onslaught}, {onset}, {onrush}]
2: a sudden occurrence of an uncontrollable condition; "an
attack of diarrhea"
3: intense adverse criticism; "Clinton directed his fire at the
Republican Party"; "the government has come under attack";
"don't give me any flak" [syn: {fire}, {flak}, {flack}, {blast}]
4: the act of attacking; "attacks on women increased last
year"; "they made an attempt on his life" [syn: {attempt}]
5: an offensive move in a sport or game; "they won the game
with a 10-hit attack in the 9th inning"
6: the onset of a corrosive or destructive process (as by a
chemical agent); "the film was sensitive to attack by
acids"; "open to attack by the elements"
7: ideas or actions intended to deal with a problem or
situation; "his approach to every problem is to draw up a
list of pros and cons"; "an attack on inflation"; "his
plan of attack was misguided" [syn: {approach}, {plan of
attack}]
8: a decisive manner of beginning a musical tone or phrase
[syn: {tone-beginning}]
v 1: launch an attack or assault on; begin hostilities with, as
in warfare; "Hitler attacked Poland on September 1, 1939
and started World War II"; "Serbian forces assailed
Bosnian towns all week" [syn: {assail}] [ant: {defend}]
2: attack verbally, in speech or writing; "The editors of the
left-leaning paper attacked the new House Speaker" [syn: {round},
{assail}, {lash out}, {snipe}, {assault}]
3: take the initiative and go on the offensive: "The Serbs
attacked the village at night"; "The visiting team started
to attack" [syn: {aggress}]
4: attack someone physically or emotionally; "The mugger
assaulted the woman"; "Nightmares assailed him regularly"
[syn: {assail}, {assault}, {set on}]
5: set to work upon; turn one's energies vigorously to a task;
"I attacked the problem as soon as I got out of bed"
6: begin to injure; "The cancer cells are attacking his liver";
"Rust is attacking the metal"
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