attack
Nouns
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(n) (military) an offensive against an enemy (using weapons)
- the attack began at dawn
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(n) an offensive move in a sport or game
- they won the game with a 10-hit attack in the 9th inning
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(n) intense adverse criticism
- Clinton directed his fire at the Republican Party
- the government has come under attack
- don't give me any flak
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(n) ideas or actions intended to deal with a problem or situation
- his approach to every problem is to draw up a list of pros and cons
- an attack on inflation
- his plan of attack was misguided
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(n) the act of attacking
- attacks on women increased last year
- they made an attempt on his life
- (n) a decisive manner of beginning a musical tone or phrase tone-beginning,
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(n) a sudden occurrence of an uncontrollable condition
- an attack of diarrhea
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(n) the onset of a corrosive or destructive process (as by a chemical agent)
- the film was sensitive to attack by acids
- open to attack by the elements
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(n) strong criticism
- he published an unexpected attack on my work
Verbs
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(v) launch an attack or assault on; begin hostilities or start warfare with
- Hitler attacked Poland on September 1, 1939 and started World War II
- Serbian forces assailed Bosnian towns all week
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(v) attack in speech or writing
- The editors of the left-leaning paper attacked the new House Speaker
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(v) take the initiative and go on the offensive
- The Serbs attacked the village at night
- The visiting team started to attack
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(v) attack someone physically or emotionally
- The mugger assaulted the woman
- Nightmares assailed him regularly
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(v) set to work upon; turn one's energies vigorously to a task
- I attacked the problem as soon as I got out of bed
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(v) begin to injure
- The cancer cells are attacking his liver
- Rust is attacking the metal