assail
verb /əˈseɪl/
/əˈseɪl/
(formal)Verb Forms
| present simple I / you / we / they assail | /əˈseɪl/ /əˈseɪl/ |
| he / she / it assails | /əˈseɪlz/ /əˈseɪlz/ |
| past simple assailed | /əˈseɪld/ /əˈseɪld/ |
| past participle assailed | /əˈseɪld/ /əˈseɪld/ |
| -ing form assailing | /əˈseɪlɪŋ/ /əˈseɪlɪŋ/ |
- assail somebody/something (with something) to attack somebody/something violently, either physically or with words
- His attacker assailed him with fierce blows to the head.
- The proposal was assailed by the opposition party.
- (figurative) A vile smell assailed my nostrils.
- [usually passive] to worry or upset somebody severely
- be assailed by something to be assailed by worries/doubts/fears
Word OriginMiddle English: from Old French asaill-, stressed stem of asalir, from medieval Latin assalire, from Latin assilire, from ad- ‘to’ + salire ‘to leap’; compare with assault.