English > assail: 3 senses > verb 1, competitionMeaning | attack someone physically or emotionally. |
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Pattern | Somebody ----s something; Somebody ----s somebody; Something ----s somebody |
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Example | "Nightmares assailed him regularly" |
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Synonyms | assault, set on, attack |
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Entailed by | hold up, stick up | rob at gunpoint or by means of some other threat |
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Narrower | bait | attack with dogs or set dogs upon |
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beset, set upon | assail or attack on all sides |
blindside | attack or hit on or from the side where the attacked person's view is obstructed |
bulldog | attack viciously and ferociously |
desecrate, profane, outrage, violate | violate the sacred character of a place or language |
jump | make a sudden physical attack on |
molest | harass or assault sexually |
rape, ravish, violate, assault, dishonor, dishonour, outrage | Force (someone) to have sex against their will |
reassail | assail again |
rush | attack suddenly |
savage | attack brutally and fiercely |
sic, set | urge to attack someone |
Spanish | agredir, asaltar, atacar, violar |
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Catalan | agredir, assaltar, atacar, violar |
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Nouns | assailant | someone who attacks |
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English > assail: 3 senses > verb 2, competitionMeaning | launch an attack or assault on; begin hostilities or start warfare / warfare with. |
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Pattern | Somebody ----s something; Somebody ----s somebody |
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Example | "Serbian forces assailed Bosnian towns all week" |
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Synonym | attack |
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Narrower | besiege, beleaguer, surround, hem in, circumvent | Surround so as to force to give up |
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blitz | attack suddenly and without warning |
bombard, bomb | Throw bombs at or attack with bombs |
cannonade | attack with cannons or artillery |
counterattack, counterstrike | make a counterattack |
gas | attack with gas |
invade, occupy | march aggressively into another's territory by military force for the purposes of conquest and occupation |
pepper, pelt | attack and bombard with or as if with missiles |
raid, bust | Search without warning, make a sudden surprise attack on |
storm, surprise | attack by storm |
strafe | attack with machine guns or cannon fire from a low-flying plane |
strike, hit | make a strategic, offensive, assault against an enemy, opponent, or a target |
submarine | attack by submarine |
torpedo | attack or hit with torpedoes |
Broader | contend, fight, struggle | Be engaged in a fight |
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Opposite | defend | Be on the defensive |
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Similar to | attack, aggress | Take the initiative and go on the offensive |
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Spanish | agredir, asaltar, atacar |
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Catalan | agredir, assaltar, atacar |
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Adjectives | assailable | not defended or capable of being defended |
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Nouns | assailant | someone who attacks |
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