Word forms: plural, 3rd person singular presenttense assaults, present participle assaulting, past tense, past participle assaulted
1. countable noun
An assault by an army is a strong attack made on an area held by the enemy.
The rebels are poised for a new assault on the government garrisons. [+ on/upon/against]
Most U.S. soldiers welcomed the ground assault when the order was finally given.
Synonyms: attack, campaign, strike, rush More Synonyms of assault
2. adjective [ADJECTIVE noun]
Assault weapons such as rifles are intended for soldiers to use in battle rather than for purposes such as hunting.
...a high-powered assault rifle.
3. variable noun
An assaulton a person is a physical attack on them.
The attack is one of a series of savage sexual assaults on women in the universityarea. [+ on/upon]
At the police station, I was charged with assault.
Synonyms: battery, attack, beating, mugging More Synonyms of assault
4. verb
To assault someone means to physically attack them.
The gang assaulted him with iron bars. [VERB noun]
She may have been sexually assaulted by her killer. [beVERB-ed]
Synonyms: strike, attack, beat, knock More Synonyms of assault
5. countable noun
An assaulton someone's beliefs is a strong criticism of them.
He leveled a verbal assault against his Democratic opponents. [+ on/upon/against]
Synonyms: abuse, attack, blame, criticism More Synonyms of assault
More Synonyms of assault
assault in British English
(əˈsɔːlt)
noun
1.
a violent attack, either physical or verbal
2. law
an intentional or reckless act that causes another person to expect to be subjected to immediate and unlawful violence
Compare battery (sense 4), assault and battery
3.
a.
the culmination of a military attack, in which fighting takes place at close quarters
b.
(as modifier)
assault troops
4.
rape or attempted rape
verb(transitive)
5.
to make an assault upon
6.
to rape or attempt to rape
Derived forms
assaulter (asˈsaulter)
noun
assaultive (asˈsaultive)
adjective
Word origin
C13: from Old French asaut, from Vulgar Latin assaltus (unattested), from assalīre (unattested) to leap upon; see assail
assault in American English
(əˈsɔlt)
noun
1.
a violent attack, either physical or verbal
2. Euphemism
UNRESOLVED CROSS REF
3. Law
an unlawful threat or unsuccessful attempt to do physical harm to another, causing a present fear of immediate harm
4. Military
a.
a sudden attack upon a fortified place
b.
the close-combat phase of an attack
verb transitive, verb intransitive
5.
to make an assault (upon)
adjective
6.
designating a rifle or other firearm, either automatic or semiautomatic, designed especially for military use
SIMILAR WORDS: atˈtack
Derived forms
assaultive (asˈsaultive)
adjective
Word origin
ME assaut < OFr assaut, assalt < VL *assaltus < assalire: see assail
Synonyms of 'assault'
attack, campaign, strike, rush
battery, attack, beating, mugging
abuse, attack, blame, criticism
strike, attack, beat, knock
attack, charge, storm, invade
More Synonyms of assault
In other languages
assault
British English: assault NOUN
An assault by an army is a strong attack made on an area held by the enemy.
The rebels are poised for a new assault on the government garrisons.
American English: assault
Brazilian Portuguese: investida
Chinese: 猛攻
European Spanish: asalto
French: assaut
German: Angriff
Italian: assalto
Japanese: 襲撃
Korean: 공격
European Portuguese: investida
Latin American Spanish: asalto
British English: assault VERB
To assault someone means to physically attack them.
The gang assaulted him with iron bars.
American English: assault
Brazilian Portuguese: agredir
Chinese: 攻击
European Spanish: asaltar
French: attaquer
German: angreifen
Italian: aggredire
Japanese: 襲撃する
Korean: 폭행하다
European Portuguese: agredir
Latin American Spanish: asaltar
All related terms of 'assault'
assault rifle
a firearm that is capable of firing multiple rounds in a very short period
assault course
An assault course is an area of land covered with obstacles such as walls which people, especially soldiers, use to improve their skills and strength .
assault troops
soldiers of the infantry who are specially trained to lead an attack
common assault
an action that causes a person to fear that he or she is in danger of violent attack
sexual assault
a violent physical attack on someone that has a sexual component
aggravated assault
an offence in which a person attacks someone physically, made more serious by its violent circumstances
criminal assault
a punishable offence of attempting to harm another person through physical contact
indecent assault
Indecent assault is the crime of attacking someone in a way which involves touching or threatening them sexually, but not forcing them to have sexual intercourse .
assault photographer
a freelance photographer who specializes in candid camera shots of famous people and often invades their privacy to obtain such photographs
assault and battery
Assault and battery is the crime of attacking someone and causing them physical harm .
Chinese translation of 'assault'
assault
(əˈsɔːlt)
n(c/u)
(= attack)
(on individual, by army) 攻击(擊) (gōngjī)
(on belief, idea) 抨击(擊) (pēngjī)
vt
(= attack) 袭(襲)击(擊) (xíjī)
(sexually) 强(強)奸(姦) (qiángjiān)
assault and battery (Law) 人身攻击(擊) (rénshēn gōngjī)
to be charged with assault被指控侵犯人身 (bèi zhǐkòng qīnfàn rénshēn)
an assault on sb/sth对(對)某人/某事的攻击(擊) (duì mǒurén/mǒushì de gōngjī)
1 (noun)
Definition
a violent attack, either physical or verbal
The rebels are poised for a new assault.
Synonyms
attack
a campaign of air attacks on strategic targets
campaign
The General's campaign against the militia has so far failed.
strike
a nuclear strike
rush
Throw something noisy and feign a rush at him.
storm
the storm of the Bastille
storming
raid
The rebels attempted a surprise raid on a military camp.
invasion
seven years after the Roman invasion of Britain
charge
He led the cavalry charge from the front.
offensive
The armed forces have launched an offensive to recapture lost ground.
onset
onslaught
a military onslaught against the rebels
foray
She made her first forays into politics.
incursion
armed incursions into border areas by rebel forces
act of aggression
inroad
Opposites
defence
,
protection
,
resistance
2 (noun)
Definition
a violent attack, either physical or verbal
At the police station, I was charged with assault.
Synonyms
battery
He has served three years for assault and battery.
attack
beating
mugging
physical violence
GBH (British)
ABH (British)
3 (noun)
Definition
a violent attack, either physical or verbal
He levelled a verbal assault against his opponents.
Synonyms
abuse
A group of people started to heckle and shout abuse.
attack
He launched an attack on businesses for failing to invest.
blame
criticism
The policy had repeatedly come under strong criticism.
censure
It is a controversial policy which has attracted international censure.
vilification
Clare did not deserve the vilification she was subjected to.
denigration
calumny
He alleges that he was the victim of calumny and dirty tricks.
character assassination
stick (slang)
It's not motorists who give you the most stick, it's the general public.
sideswipe
impugnment
1 (verb)
Definition
to attack violently
The gang assaulted him in the street.
Synonyms
strike
She took two steps forward and struck him across the mouth.
attack
beat
He lost the boxing match and was badly beaten by his opponent.
knock
He was mucking around and he knocked her in the stomach.
punch
After punching him on the chin, she hit him over the head.
belt (informal)
Is it true that she belted George in the stomach?
bang
We could bang on the desks and shout until they let us out.
batter
He battered his opponent around the head.
clip (informal)
She clipped his ear.
slap
My yoga instructor turned up and slapped me on the shoulder.
bash (informal)
My mother bashed her shin with a suitcase.
deck (slang)
sock (slang)
chin (slang)
smack
She smacked me on the side of the head.
thump
He thumped me, nearly knocking me over.
set about
lay one on (slang)
clout (informal)
The officer clouted him on the head.
cuff
She cuffed him playfully around the ear.
flog
He never flogs his horse no matter how slowly she goes.
whack
Someone whacked him on the head.
lob
beset
clobber (slang)
She clobbered him with a vase.
smite (archaic)
wallop (informal)
She walloped me over the head with a cushion.
swat
fall upon
set upon
lay into (informal)
tonk (slang)
lambast(e)
belabour
Men began to belabour his shoulders with sticks.
beat or knock seven bells out of (informal)
2 (verb)
Definition
to attack violently
They would be compelled to assault the capital from the south.
Synonyms
attack
The duo are believed to have attacked several people in South London.
charge
Our general ordered us to charge the enemy.
storm
The refugees decided to storm the embassy.
invade
In 1944 the allies invaded the Italian mainland.
fall on
strike at
swoop on
assail
He was assailed by a young man.
Opposites
protect
,
defend
,
resist
Additional synonyms
in the sense of assail
Definition
to attack violently
He was assailed by a young man.
Synonyms
attack,
charge,
assault,
invade,
set about,
beset,
fall upon,
set upon,
lay into (informal),
maltreat,
belabour
in the sense of bang
Definition
to hit or knock, esp. with a loud noise
We could bang on the desks and shout until they let us out.