assail

1. Attack someone physically or emotionally (synset 201122487)
   "The mugger assaulted the woman"; "Nightmares assailed him regularly"
   subtypes:

   • bait - attack with dogs or set dogs upon
   • set, sic - urge to attack someone
   • bulldog - attack viciously and ferociously
   • rush - attack suddenly
   • blindside - attack or hit on or from the side where the attacked person's view is obstructed
   • savage - attack brutally and fiercely
   • reassail - assail again
   • jump - make a sudden physical attack on
   • beset, set upon - assail or attack on all sides:
   • assault, dishonor, dishonour, outrage, rape, ravish, violate - force (someone) to have sex against their will
   • desecrate, outrage, profane, violate - violate the sacred character of a place or language
   • molest - harass or assault sexually; make indecent advances to
   same as: assault, attack, set on
2. Launch an attack or assault on;
   Begin hostilities or start warfare with (synset 201121587)
   "Hitler attacked Poland on September 1, 1939 and started World War II"; "Serbian forces assailed Bosnian towns all week"
   is a type of: contend, fight, struggle - be engaged in a fight; carry on a fight
   subtypes:

   • submarine - attack by submarine
   • pelt, pepper - attack and bombard with or as if with missiles
   • hit, strike - make a strategic, offensive, assault against an enemy, opponent, or a target
   • counterattack, counterstrike - make a counterattack
   • gas - attack with gas; subject to gas fumes
   • storm, surprise - attack by storm; attack suddenly
   • blitz - attack suddenly and without warning
   • invade, occupy - march aggressively into another's territory by military force for the purposes of conquest and occupation
   • beleaguer, besiege, circumvent, hem in, surround - surround so as to force to give up
   • bomb, bombard - throw bombs at or attack with bombs
   • strafe - attack with machine guns or cannon fire from a low-flying plane
   • cannonade - attack with cannons or artillery
   • torpedo - attack or hit with torpedoes
   • bust, raid - search without warning, make a sudden surprise attack on
   same as: attack
   verb group: aggress, attack - take the initiative and go on the offensive
3. Attack in speech or writing (synset 200864347)
   "The editors of the left-leaning paper attacked the new House Speaker"
   is a type of: criticise, criticize, knock, pick apart - find fault with; express criticism of; point out real or perceived flaws
   subtypes:

   • abuse, blackguard, clapperclaw, shout - use foul or abusive language towards
   • claw - attack as if with claws
   • vitriol - subject to bitter verbal abuse
   • rip - criticize or abuse strongly and violently
   • whang - attack forcefully
   • barrage, bombard - address with continuously or persistently, as if with a barrage
   • blister, scald, whip - subject to harsh criticism
   • rubbish - attack strongly
   same as: assault, attack, lash out, round, snipe

Other Searches

• Rhyme: Dillfrog, RhymeZone
• Definition: Wiktionary, Dictionary.com, Wikipedia, Merriam-Webster, WordNet, Power Thesaurus
• Imagery: Google, Flickr, Bing