English Explanatory Dictionary

assault

English dictionary entry

Meanings

noun
  1. A violent onset or attack with physical means, for example blows, weapons, etc.
  2. A violent verbal attack, for example with insults, criticism, and the like
  3. An attempt to commit battery: a violent attempt, or willful effort with force or violence, to do hurt to another, but without necessarily touching the person, such as by raising a fist in a threatening manner, or by striking at the person and missing.
  4. The crime whose action is such an attempt.
  5. An act that causes someone to apprehend imminent bodily harm (such as brandishing a weapon).
  6. The tort whose action is such an act.
  7. A non-competitive combat between two fencers.
verb
  1. To attack, physically or figuratively; to assail.
  2. To threaten or harass.

Pronunciation

/əˈsɒlt/ /əˈsɔːlt/ /əˈsɔlt/ /əˈsɑlt/ En-us-assault.ogg /əˈsʌlt/

Word forms

assault assaults assaulting assaulted

Etymology

From Middle English assaut, from Old French noun assaut, derived from the past participle of the verb assalir, from Late Latin assalīre, from Latin ad (“at, towards”) + salīre (“jump”). See also assail. Spelling Latinized around 1530 to add an l.

Synonyms

onfall onrush aggression assailment assault attack attempt offense offensive onset onslaught strike

Antonyms

defense defence

Related words

fight

Derived words

antiassault apesault counterassault cyberassault nonassault reassault microassault aggravated assault amphibious assault ship assault and battery assault at arms assault course assault rifle assault weapon indecent assault meat assault sexual assault tubular assault verbal assault assaultable assaultee assaulter assaultive nonassaulted sexually assault unassaulted
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