assault
6 ENTRIES FOUND:
plural
assaults
plural
assaults
Britannica Dictionary definition of ASSAULT
1
a
[noncount]
law
:
the crime of trying or threatening to hurt someone physically
—
see also indecent assault
-
He was accused of assault. = He was charged with assault. = Assault charges were brought against him.
-
She was wanted (by the police) for assault with a deadly weapon.
-
He was found guilty of sexual assault. [=the crime of touching someone in an unwanted sexual way]
b
[count]
:
a violent physical attack
-
She was injured in a brutal assault.
2
[count]
:
a military attack
— often + on
— often used figuratively
-
They launched several air assaults [=attacks using airplanes] against the enemy.
-
They got ready for an enemy assault. [=an attack by the enemy]
-
The enemy has launched an assault on the city.
-
They saw the change as an assault on the values of their society.
-
They launched a fierce legal assault against the company.
-
The government is attempting an all-out/full-scale assault on the use of drugs.
under assault
:
being attacked or criticized
-
The city is under assault from enemy troops.
-
He came under assault for his unusual beliefs. [=he was severely criticized for his unusual beliefs]
-
Their personal freedoms are (coming) under assault by the government.
2
assault
/əˈsɑːlt/
verb
assaults;
assaulted;
assaulting
2
assault
/əˈsɑːlt/
verb
assaults;
assaulted;
assaulting
Britannica Dictionary definition of ASSAULT
[+ object]
:
to violently attack (someone or something)
— sometimes used figuratively
-
He was arrested for assaulting a police officer.
-
She verbally assaulted one of her coworkers.
-
He had been sexually assaulted [=touched or hurt in a sexual way] as a young boy.
-
Enemy forces assaulted the city.
-
A terrible noise assaulted our senses. [=we heard a terrible noise]
