4 definitions found
From Webster's Revised Unabridged Dictionary (1913) [web1913]:
Assault \As*sault"\, n. [OE. asaut, assaut, OF. assaut, asalt,
F. assaut, LL. assaltus; L. ad + saltus a leaping, a
springing, salire to leap. See {Assail}.]
1. A violent onset or attack with physical means, as blows,
weapons, etc.; an onslaught; the rush or charge of an
attacking force; onset; as, to make assault upon a man, a
house, or a town.
The Spanish general prepared to renew the assault.
--Prescott.
Unshaken bears the assault Of their most dreaded
foe, the strong southwest. --Wordsworth.
2. A violent onset or attack with moral weapons, as words,
arguments, appeals, and the like; as, to make an assault
on the prerogatives of a prince, or on the constitution of
a government. --Clarendon.
3. (Law) An apparently violent attempt, or willful offer with
force or violence, to do hurt to another; an attempt or
offer to beat another, accompanied by a degree of
violence, but without touching his person, as by lifting
the fist, or a cane, in a threatening manner, or by
striking at him, and missing him. If the blow aimed takes
effect, it is a battery. --Blackstone. Wharton.
Practically, however, the word assault is used to
include the battery. --Mozley & W.
Syn: Attack; invasion; incursion; descent; onset; onslaught;
charge; storm.
From Webster's Revised Unabridged Dictionary (1913) [web1913]:
Assault \As*sault"\, v. t. [imp. & p. p. {Assaulted}; p. pr. &
vb. n. {Assaulting}.] [From {Assault}, n.: cf. OF. assaulter,
LL. assaltare.]
1. To make an assault upon, as by a sudden rush of armed men;
to attack with unlawful or insulting physical violence or
menaces.
Insnared, assaulted, overcome, led bound. --Milton.
2. To attack with moral means, or with a view of producing
moral effects; to attack by words, arguments, or
unfriendly measures; to assail; as, to assault a
reputation or an administration.
Before the gates, the cries of babes newborn, . . .
Assault his ears. --Dryden.
Note: In the latter sense, assail is more common.
Syn: To attack; assail; invade; encounter; storm; charge. See
{Attack}.
From WordNet (r) 2.0 [wn]:
assault
n 1: close fighting during the culmination of a military attack
2: a threatened or attempted physical attack by someone who
appears to be able to cause bodily harm if not stopped
3: thoroughbred that won the triple crown in 1946
4: the crime of forcing a woman to submit to sexual intercourse
against her will [syn: {rape}, {violation}, {ravishment}]
v 1: attack someone physically or emotionally; "The mugger
assaulted the woman"; "Nightmares assailed him
regularly" [syn: {assail}, {set on}, {attack}]
2: force (someone) to have sex against their will; "The woman
was raped on her way home at night" [syn: {rape}, {ravish},
{violate}, {dishonor}, {dishonour}, {outrage}]
3: attack in speech or writing; "The editors of the
left-leaning paper attacked the new House Speaker" [syn: {attack},
{round}, {assail}, {lash out}, {snipe}]
From eng-fra [engfra]:
assault
[əsɔːlt]
assaillir, attaquer
attenter
attentat
donner l'assaut
assaut