| attack | | |
| n. (act) | 1. attack, onrush, onset, onslaught | (military) an offensive against an enemy (using weapons).; "the attack began at dawn" |
| ~ military operation, operation | activity by a military or naval force (as a maneuver or campaign).; "it was a joint operation of the navy and air force" |
| ~ ground attack | an attack by ground troops. |
| ~ assault | close fighting during the culmination of a military attack. |
| ~ charge | an impetuous rush toward someone or something.; "the wrestler's charge carried him past his adversary"; "the battle began with a cavalry charge" |
| ~ banzai attack, banzai charge | a mass attack of troops without concern for casualties; originated by Japanese who accompanied it with yells of `banzai'. |
| ~ diversionary attack, diversion | an attack calculated to draw enemy defense away from the point of the principal attack. |
| ~ penetration, incursion | an attack that penetrates into enemy territory. |
| ~ blitzkrieg, blitz | a swift and violent military offensive with intensive aerial bombardment. |
| ~ strike | an attack that is intended to seize or inflict damage on or destroy an objective.; "the strike was scheduled to begin at dawn" |
| ~ counterattack, countermove | an attack by a defending force against an attacking enemy force in order to regain lost ground or cut off enemy advance units etc.. |
| ~ bombing, bombardment | an attack by dropping bombs. |
| ~ firing, fire | the act of firing weapons or artillery at an enemy.; "hold your fire until you can see the whites of their eyes"; "they retreated in the face of withering enemy fire" |
| ~ strafe | an attack of machine-gun fire or cannon fire from a low flying airplane.; "the next morning they carried out a strafe of enemy airfields" |
| ~ coup de main, surprise attack | an attack without warning. |
| ~ armed forces, armed services, military, military machine, war machine | the military forces of a nation.; "their military is the largest in the region"; "the military machine is the same one we faced in 1991 but now it is weaker" |
| n. (act) | 2. attack | an offensive move in a sport or game.; "they won the game with a 10-hit attack in the 9th inning" |
| ~ turn, play | (game) the activity of doing something in an agreed succession.; "it is my turn"; "it is still my play" |
| ~ counterplay, counterattack | (chess) an attack that is intended to counter the opponent's advantage in another part of the board. |
| n. (communication) | 3. attack, blast, fire, flack, flak | intense adverse criticism.; "Clinton directed his fire at the Republican Party"; "the government has come under attack"; "don't give me any flak" |
| ~ criticism, unfavorable judgment | disapproval expressed by pointing out faults or shortcomings.; "the senator received severe criticism from his opponent" |
| n. (act) | 4. approach, attack, plan of attack | 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" |
| ~ conceptualization, conceptualisation, formulation | inventing or contriving an idea or explanation and formulating it mentally. |
| ~ avenue | a line of approach.; "they explored every avenue they could think of"; "it promises to open new avenues to understanding" |
| n. (act) | 5. attack, attempt | the act of attacking.; "attacks on women increased last year"; "they made an attempt on his life" |
| ~ crime, criminal offence, criminal offense, law-breaking, offense, offence | (criminal law) an act punishable by law; usually considered an evil act.; "a long record of crimes" |
| ~ assault | a threatened or attempted physical attack by someone who appears to be able to cause bodily harm if not stopped. |
| n. (act) | 6. attack, tone-beginning | a decisive manner of beginning a musical tone or phrase. |
| ~ commencement, beginning, start | the act of starting something.; "he was responsible for the beginning of negotiations" |
| n. (state) | 7. attack | a sudden occurrence of an uncontrollable condition.; "an attack of diarrhea" |
| ~ affliction | a cause of great suffering and distress. |
| ~ anxiety attack | a sudden acute episode of intense anxiety and feelings of panic. |
| ~ flare | a sudden recurrence or worsening of symptoms.; "a colitis flare"; "infection can cause a lupus flare" |
| ~ ictus, raptus, seizure | a sudden occurrence (or recurrence) of a disease.; "he suffered an epileptic seizure" |
| ~ touch, spot | a slight attack of illness.; "he has a touch of rheumatism" |
| ~ apoplexy, cerebrovascular accident, cva, stroke | a sudden loss of consciousness resulting when the rupture or occlusion of a blood vessel leads to oxygen lack in the brain. |
| ~ convulsion, paroxysm, fit | a sudden uncontrollable attack.; "a paroxysm of giggling"; "a fit of coughing"; "convulsions of laughter" |
| ~ hysterics | an attack of hysteria. |
| ~ occlusion | closure or blockage (as of a blood vessel). |
| ~ heart attack | a sudden severe instance of abnormal heart function. |
| n. (process) | 8. attack | 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" |
| ~ degeneration, devolution | the process of declining from a higher to a lower level of effective power or vitality or essential quality. |
| n. (act) | 9. attack | strong criticism.; "he published an unexpected attack on my work" |
| ~ aspersion, calumny, defamation, denigration, slander | an abusive attack on a person's character or good name. |
| ~ criticism, unfavorable judgment | disapproval expressed by pointing out faults or shortcomings.; "the senator received severe criticism from his opponent" |
| v. (competition) | 10. assail, attack | 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" |
| ~ fight, struggle, contend | be engaged in a fight; carry on a fight.; "the tribesmen fought each other"; "Siblings are always fighting"; "Militant groups are contending for control of the country" |
| ~ aggress, attack | take the initiative and go on the offensive.; "The Serbs attacked the village at night"; "The visiting team started to attack" |
| ~ submarine | attack by submarine.; "The Germans submarined the Allies" |
| ~ pelt, pepper | attack and bombard with or as if with missiles.; "pelt the speaker with questions" |
| ~ strike, hit | make a strategic, offensive, assault against an enemy, opponent, or a target.; "The Germans struck Poland on Sept. 1, 1939"; "We must strike the enemy's oil fields"; "in the fifth inning, the Giants struck, sending three runners home to win the game 5 to 2" |
| ~ counterattack, counterstrike | make a counterattack. |
| ~ gas | attack with gas; subject to gas fumes.; "The despot gassed the rebellious tribes" |
| ~ surprise, storm | attack by storm; attack suddenly. |
| ~ blitz | attack suddenly and without warning.; "Hitler blitzed Poland" |
| ~ invade, occupy | march aggressively into another's territory by military force for the purposes of conquest and occupation.; "Hitler invaded Poland on September 1, 1939" |
| ~ besiege, circumvent, beleaguer, hem in, surround | surround so as to force to give up.; "The Turks besieged Vienna" |
| ~ bomb, bombard | throw bombs at or attack with bombs.; "The Americans bombed Dresden" |
| ~ strafe | attack with machine guns or cannon fire from a low-flying plane.; "civilians were strafed in an effort to force the country's surrender" |
| ~ cannonade | attack with cannons or artillery. |
| ~ torpedo | attack or hit with torpedoes. |
| ~ raid, bust | search without warning, make a sudden surprise attack on.; "The police raided the crack house" |
| v. (communication) | 11. assail, assault, attack, lash out, round, snipe | attack in speech or writing.; "The editors of the left-leaning paper attacked the new House Speaker" |
| ~ criticise, criticize, pick apart, knock | find fault with; express criticism of; point out real or perceived flaws.; "The paper criticized the new movie"; "Don't knock the food--it's free" |
| ~ blackguard, clapperclaw, abuse, shout | use foul or abusive language towards.; "The actress abused the policeman who gave her a parking ticket"; "The angry mother shouted at the teacher" |
| ~ claw | attack as if with claws.; "The politician clawed his rival" |
| ~ vitriol | subject to bitter verbal abuse. |
| ~ rip | criticize or abuse strongly and violently.; "The candidate ripped into his opponent mercilessly" |
| ~ whang | attack forcefully.; "whang away at the school reform plan" |
| ~ barrage, bombard | address with continuously or persistently, as if with a barrage.; "The speaker was barraged by an angry audience"; "The governor was bombarded with requests to grant a pardon to the convicted killer" |
| ~ scald, blister, whip | subject to harsh criticism.; "The Senator blistered the administration in his speech on Friday"; "the professor scaled the students"; "your invectives scorched the community" |
| ~ rubbish | attack strongly. |
| v. (competition) | 12. aggress, attack | take the initiative and go on the offensive.; "The Serbs attacked the village at night"; "The visiting team started to attack" |
| ~ check | place into check.; "He checked my kings" |
| ~ fork | place under attack with one's own pieces, of two enemy pieces. |
| ~ attack, assail | 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" |
| ~ harass | exhaust by attacking repeatedly.; "harass the enemy" |
| ~ pin | immobilize a piece. |
| ~ tackle | seize and throw down an opponent player, who usually carries the ball. |
| ~ act, move | perform an action, or work out or perform (an action).; "think before you act"; "We must move quickly"; "The governor should act on the new energy bill"; "The nanny acted quickly by grabbing the toddler and covering him with a wet towel" |
| v. (competition) | 13. assail, assault, attack, set on | attack someone physically or emotionally.; "The mugger assaulted the woman"; "Nightmares assailed him regularly" |
| ~ bait | attack with dogs or set dogs upon. |
| ~ sic, set | urge to attack someone.; "The owner sicked his dogs on the intruders"; "the shaman sics sorcerers on the evil spirits" |
| ~ 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.; "Her old fears reassailed her" |
| ~ jump | make a sudden physical attack on.; "The muggers jumped the woman in the fur coat" |
| ~ set upon, beset | assail or attack on all sides:.; "The zebra was beset by leopards" |
| ~ rape, ravish, assault, dishonor, dishonour, outrage, violate | force (someone) to have sex against their will.; "The woman was raped on her way home at night" |
| ~ desecrate, outrage, profane, violate | violate the sacred character of a place or language.; "desecrate a cemetery"; "violate the sanctity of the church"; "profane the name of God" |
| ~ molest | harass or assault sexually; make indecent advances to. |
| v. (change) | 14. attack | set to work upon; turn one's energies vigorously to a task.; "I attacked the problem as soon as I got out of bed" |
| ~ begin, commence, set out, start, start out, set about, get down, get | take the first step or steps in carrying out an action.; "We began working at dawn"; "Who will start?"; "Get working as soon as the sun rises!"; "The first tourists began to arrive in Cambodia"; "He began early in the day"; "Let's get down to work now" |
| v. (body) | 15. attack | begin to injure.; "The cancer cells are attacking his liver"; "Rust is attacking the metal" |
| ~ affect | act physically on; have an effect upon.; "the medicine affects my heart rate" |
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