Word Finder - attack

definition

An attempt to cause damage, injury to, or death of opponent or enemy.

definition

An attempt to detract from the worth or credibility of, a person, position, idea, object, or thing, by physical, verbal, emotional, or other assault.

example

They claimed the censorship of the article was an attack on free speech.

definition

A time in which one attacks; the offence of a battle.

example

The army timed their attack to coincide with the local celebrations.

definition

(by extension) The beginning of active operations on anything.

example

Having washed the plates from dinner, I made an attack on the laundry.

definition

An attempt to exploit a vulnerability in a computer system.

definition

Collectively, the bowlers of a cricket side.

definition

Any contact with the ball other than a serve or block which sends the ball across the plane of the net.

synonyms

• hit
• spike

definition

The three attackmen on the field or all the attackmen of a team.

definition

The sudden onset of a disease or condition.

example

I've had an attack of the flu.

definition

An active episode of a chronic or recurrent disease.

definition

The onset of a musical note, particularly with respect to the strength (and duration) of that onset.

definition

(audio) The amount of time it takes for the volume of an audio signal to go from zero to maximum level (e.g. an audio waveform representing a snare drum hit would feature a very fast attack, whereas that of a wave washing to shore would feature a slow attack).

definition

To apply violent force to someone or something.

example

This species of snake will only attack humans if it feels threatened.

definition

To aggressively challenge a person, idea, etc., with words (particularly in newspaper headlines, because it typesets into less space than "criticize" or similar).

example

She published an article attacking the recent pay cuts.

definition

To begin to affect; to act upon injuriously or destructively; to begin to decompose or waste.

definition

To deal with something in a direct way; to set to work upon.

example

I attacked the meal with a hearty appetite.

definition

To aim balls at the batsman’s wicket.

definition

To set a field, or bowl in a manner designed to get wickets.

definition

To bat aggressively, so as to score runs quickly.

definition

To move forward in an active attempt to score a point, as opposed to trying not to concede.

definition

To accelerate quickly in an attempt to get ahead of the other riders.

For whatever reason, people like to attack me.

Surely he wasn't going to attack her.

The fact is, when wolves attack a herd, they always take the weakest animal.

It wasn't as if she was going to allow Brutus to attack their guest.

Dad had a heart attack this afternoon.

She wasn't going to give him an excuse to attack her.

No, he couldn't attack Tiyan.

He had been ordered to attack Forminsk.

You almost gave me a heart attack.

When they did, he'd attack.

The attack on the eastern wall is this evening; we can't hold the city.

He pulled the towel from his face and stared down at her, but she didn't give him time to verbally attack her again.

Those of age to become pages were too old, for the beast twisted their impure hearts and made them attack us.

No doubt the attack yesterday had strained both.

Actually, Gerald's intent was probably to ward off an attack, rather than chastise Alex.

She was trying to determine the best way to attack and debating the validity of her boss's assertion that the human-made weapons she carried were useless against Xander.

It's not like them to hesitate to attack.

It is arguable, and he was disposed to maintain, that the movement would have succeeded if resolutely pushed by those in command, both in the initial stage, when it was a purely naval attack, and in the later stage, when considerable military forces had been landed and fought many desperate fights.

The young king resolved to attack the nearest of his three enemies - Denmark - first.

The pope appealed to Liutprand, the powerful king of the Lombards, to attack the imperial possessions in Ravenna.

The attack on the fort at Bobbili made by General Bussy in 1756 is one of the most memorable episodes in Indian history.

Our aim is no longer, as it should be, to avoid or attack the enemy, but solely to avoid General Buxhowden who by right of seniority should be our chief.

Instead of waiting for the Other to attack again, Darian spun and plunged his knife into the creature's belly.

I know pain, and this is nothing, he chanted to himself, waiting for them to release him so he could attack.

It could've been a million, with the Other readying another attack.

If Memon ceases his attack, we will have time to repair them.

The treaty of Blois had contained a secret article providing for an attack on Venice, and this ripened into the league of Cambray, which was joined by the emperor in December 1509.

But whilst all the organic processes in man go on mechanically, and though by reflex action he may repel attack unconsciously, still the first affirmation of the system was that man was essentially a thinking being; and, while we retain this original dictum, it must not be supposed that the mind is a mere spectator, or like the boatman in the boat.

The Persian fleet in vain endeavoured to relieve it, and Miletus did not long hold out against Alexander's attack.

It was all-important that whatever victories Garibaldi might win should be won for the Italian kingdom, and, above all, that no ill-timed attack on the Papal States should provoke an intervention of the powers.

From them he heard plenty of abuse of stock-jobbing, and seizing their ideas he began to regard stock-jobbing, or agiotage, as the source of all evil, and to attack in his usual vehement style the Banque de St Charles and the Compagnie des Eaux.

In October 1559 they made an unsuccessful attack on Leith and the seizure of an English convoy on the way to their army by James Hepburn, earl of Bothwell, increased their difficulties.

In his last number, the seventh, which his publisher refused to print, he had dared to attack even Robespierre, but at his trial it was found that he was devoid of physical courage.

But Mr. Churchill's great coup in the war was the attack on the Dardanelles, which he pressed forward in spite of the increasing reluctance of Lord Fisher.

On the 26th of June Charles held a council of war, at which it was resolved to attack the Russians in their entrenchments on the following day.

Andrew, who was now with St Louis, interpreted to the king David's message, a real or pretended offer of alliance from the Mongol general Ilchikdai (Ilchikadai), and a proposal of a joint attack upon the Islamic powers for the conquest of Syria.

He and his followers plotted the murder of the doge, were discovered, and sought safety at the court of Charlemagne, where Fortunatus strongly urged the Franks to attack the lagoons.

There was for the future one Venice and one Venetian people dwelling at Rialto, the city of compromise between the dangers from the mainland, exemplified by Attila and Alboin, and the perils from the sea, illustrated by Pippin's attack.

Zara was recovered, and while still at Zara the leaders of the Crusade, supported by Dandolo, resolved for their own private purposes to attack Constantinople, instead of making for the Holy Land.

But just as gods are not necessarily spiritual, demons may also be regarded as corporeal; vampires for example are sometimes described as human heads with appended entrails, which issue from the tomb to attack the living during the night watches.

From Sackett's Harbor American expeditions against York (now Toronto) and Fort George respectively set out in April and May 1813; though scantily garrisoned it was successfully defended by General Jacob Brown (who had just taken command) against an attack, on the 29th of May, of Sir George Prevost with a squadron under Sir James Lucas Yeo.

In 1420 the emperor Sigismund made the city the base for his unsuccessful attack on the Taborites; Kuttenberg was taken by Ziika, and after a temporary reconciliation of the warring parties was burned by the imperial troops in 1422, to prevent its falling again into the hands of the Taborites.

Dusting with Paris green is, however, an efficient remedy if promptly applied at the outset of the attack.

But it is more likely, as suggested by Richard Chandler (Life of Waynflete, 1811), that it was some Yorkist attack on him in progress in the papal court, to meet which he appointed next day 19 proctors to act for him.

On the 2nd of November he opened the great attack by proposing an address declaring the necessity for the king's dismissing James from his council.

His chief opponent was Samuel Parker (1640-1688), bishop of Oxford, who, in his attack on the irreligious novelties of the Cartesian, treats Descartes as a fellow-criminal in infidelity with Hobbes and Gassendi.

Guy was a brave if not a particularly able knight; and his instant attack on Acre after his release by Saladin shows that he had the sentiment de ses devoirs.

Avicenna, however, remained hidden for forty days in a sheik's house, till a fresh attack of illness induced the amir to restore him to his post.

Her elder son resigned his title and estates, and became a Jesuit under the name of the Abbe d'Orleans, while the younger, after leading a debauched life, was killed leading the attack in the passage of the Rhine in 1673.

Here the efforts of Dr Alem succeeded in supplying a large body of rebels with arms and ammunition, and he was able, by a bold attack, to seize the town of Rosario and there establish the revolutionary headquarters.