Assault

Assault
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. [1913 Webster]

The Spanish general prepared to renew the assault. --Prescott. [1913 Webster]

Unshaken bears the assault Of their most dreaded foe, the strong southwest. --Wordsworth. [1913 Webster]

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. [1913 Webster]

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. [1913 Webster]

Practically, however, the word assault is used to include the battery. --Mozley & W. [1913 Webster]

Syn: Attack; invasion; incursion; descent; onset; onslaught; charge; storm. [1913 Webster]


The Collaborative International Dictionary of English. 2000.

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Look at other dictionaries:

  • assault — as·sault 1 /ə sȯlt/ n [Old French assaut, literally, attack, ultimately from Latin assultus, from assilire to leap (on), attack] 1: the crime or tort of threatening or attempting to inflict immediate offensive physical contact or bodily harm… …   Law dictionary

  • ASSAULT — ASSAULT, the infliction of any degree of violence on the body of another person, whether injury results or not. The biblical injunction, he may be given up to 40 lashes but not more (Deut. 25:3), which applies to flogging by way of punishment,… …   Encyclopedia of Judaism

  • 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… …   The Collaborative International Dictionary of English

  • assault — n *attack, onslaught, onset Analogous words: assailing, bombarding or bombardment, storming or storm (see corresponding verbs at ATTACK): *invasion, incursion, raid assault vb storm, *attack, bombard, assail …   New Dictionary of Synonyms

  • assault — [n] attack advance, aggression, charge, incursion, invasion, offensive, onset, onslaught, rape, storm, storming, strike, violation; concept 86 assault [v] attack abuse, advance, assail, bash, beset, blast, blitz, bushwhack, charge, come down on* …   New thesaurus

  • assault — ► NOUN 1) a violent attack. 2) Law an act that threatens physical harm to a person. 3) a concentrated attempt to do something difficult. ► VERB ▪ make an assault on. DERIVATIVES assaultive adjective …   English terms dictionary

  • assault — [ə sôlt′] n. [ME assaut < OFr assaut, assalt < VL * assaltus < assalire: see ASSAIL] 1. a violent attack, either physical or verbal 2. euphemism for RAPE1 3. Law an unlawful threat or unsuccessful attempt to do physical harm to another,… …   English World dictionary

  • assault at — ● assault …   Useful english dictionary

  • Assault — This article is about the criminal act. For tortious aspects of assault, see Assault (tort). For other uses, see Assault (disambiguation) …   Wikipedia

  • assault — {{Roman}}I.{{/Roman}} noun 1 crime of attacking sb ADJECTIVE ▪ brutal, ferocious, savage, vicious, violent ▪ armed ▪ criminal …   Collocations dictionary

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