attack

/ə-ˈtak/

Middle French attaquer, from Old Italian *estaccare to attach, from stacca stake, of Germanic origin; akin to Old English staca

verb

  1. to set upon or work against forcefully

  2. to assail with unfriendly or bitter words

  3. to begin to affect or to act on injuriously

attack an enemy fortification

attack assail assault bombard storm mean to make an onslaught upon. attack implies taking the initiative in a struggle. assail implies attempting to break down resistance by repeated blows or shots.

noun

  1. the act of attacking with physical force or unfriendly words : assault

  2. a belligerent or antagonistic action

  3. a fit of sickness; especially : an active episode of a chronic or recurrent disease

the victim of a knife attack

adjective

  1. designed, planned, or used for carrying out a military attack

  2. expressing or involving aggressively negative and harsh criticism of someone (such as a political opponent)

an attack helicopter