attack
1. (military) an offensive against an enemy (using weapons) (Freq. 17)
- the attack began at dawn
• Syn:
onslaught, onset, onrush
• Topics:
military, armed forces, armed services, military machine, war machine
• Hypernyms:
operation, military operation
• Hyponyms:
ground attack, charge, banzai attack, banzai charge, diversion,
diversionary attack, penetration, incursion, blitz, blitzkrieg, strike,
counterattack, countermove, bombing, bombardment, fire, firing,
strafe, surprise attack, coup de main
• Part Meronyms:
assault
2. an offensive move in a sport or game (Freq. 3)
- they won the game with a 10-hit attack in the 9th inning
• Hypernyms:
turn, play
• Hyponyms:
counterattack, counterplay
3. intense adverse criticism (Freq. 2)
- Clinton directed his fire at the Republican Party
- the government has come under attack
- don't give me any flak
• Syn:
fire, flak, flack, blast
• Hypernyms:
criticism, unfavorable judgment
4. ideas or actions intended to deal with a problem or situation (Freq. 1)
- 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
• Syn:
approach, plan of attack
• Derivationally related forms:
approach (for: approach)
• Hypernyms:
conceptualization, conceptualisation, formulation
• Hyponyms:
avenue
5. the act of attacking (Freq. 1)
- attacks on women increased last year
- they made an attempt on his life
• Syn:
attempt
• Hypernyms:
crime, offense, criminal offense, criminal offence, offence, law-breaking
• Hyponyms:
assault
6. a decisive manner of beginning a musical tone or phrase (Freq. 1)
• Syn:
tone-beginning
• Hypernyms:
beginning, start, commencement
7. a sudden occurrence of an uncontrollable condition
- an attack of diarrhea
• Hypernyms:
affliction
• Hyponyms:
anxiety attack, flare, seizure, ictus, raptus,
touch, spot, stroke, apoplexy, cerebrovascular accident, CVA,
paroxysm, fit, convulsion, hysterics, occlusion, heart attack
8. 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
• Hypernyms:
degeneration, devolution
9. strong criticism
- he published an unexpected attack on my work
• Hypernyms:
criticism, unfavorable judgment
• Hyponyms:
aspersion, calumny, slander, defamation, denigration
1. launch an attack or assault on;
begin hostilities or start warfare with (Freq. 22)
- Hitler attacked Poland on September 1, 1939 and started World War II
- Serbian forces assailed Bosnian towns all week
• Syn:
assail
• Ant:
defend
• Derivationally related forms:
assailable (for: assail), assailant (for: assail), attacker
• Hypernyms:
contend, fight, struggle
• Hyponyms:
submarine, pepper, pelt, strike, hit,
counterattack, counterstrike, gas, storm, surprise, blitz,
invade, occupy, besiege, beleaguer, surround, hem in,
circumvent, bombard, bomb, strafe, cannonade, torpedo,
raid, bust
• Verb Group:
aggress
• Verb Frames:
- Somebody ----s something
- Somebody ----s somebody
2. attack in speech or writing (Freq. 9)
- The editors of the left-leaning paper attacked the new House Speaker
• Syn:
round, assail, lash out, snipe, assault
• Derivationally related forms:
assaultive (for: assault), assaulter (for: assault), assailant (for: assail), attacker
• Hypernyms:
knock, criticize, criticise, pick apart
• Hyponyms:
abuse, clapperclaw, blackguard, shout, claw,
vitriol, rip, whang, bombard, barrage, blister,
scald, whip, rubbish
• Verb Frames:
- Somebody ----s something
- Somebody ----s somebody
- Something ----s somebody
- Something ----s something
- Somebody ----s PP (for: snipe)
- Somebody ----s PP (for: lash out)
- Somebody ----s PP (for: round)
3. take the initiative and go on the offensive (Freq. 8)
- The Serbs attacked the village at night
- The visiting team started to attack
• Syn:
aggress
• Derivationally related forms:
aggressive (for: aggress), aggression (for: aggress), aggressor (for: aggress), attacker
• Hypernyms:
act, move
• Hyponyms:
check, fork, harass, pin, tackle
• Verb Group:
assail
• Verb Frames:
- Something ----s
- Somebody ----s
- Somebody ----s something
- Somebody ----s somebody
4. attack someone physically or emotionally (Freq. 4)
- The mugger assaulted the woman
- Nightmares assailed him regularly
• Syn:
assail, assault, set on
• Derivationally related forms:
attacker, assaultive (for: assault), assault (for: assault), assaulter (for: assault), assailant (for: assail)
• Hyponyms:
bait, sic, set, bulldog, rush,
blindside, savage, reassail, jump, beset, set upon,
rape, ravish, violate, assault, dishonor, dishonour,
outrage, desecrate, profane, molest
• Verb Frames:
- Somebody ----s something
- Somebody ----s somebody
- Something ----s somebody
5. set to work upon;
turn one's energies vigorously to a task (Freq. 1)
- I attacked the problem as soon as I got out of bed
• Derivationally related forms:
attacker
• Hypernyms:
get down, begin, get, start out, start,
set about, set out, commence
• Verb Frames:
- Somebody ----s something
6. begin to injure
- The cancer cells are attacking his liver
- Rust is attacking the metal
• Derivationally related forms:
attacker
• Hypernyms:
affect
• Verb Frames:
- Something ----s something
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