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- Dictionaryassail/əˈseɪl/
verb
- 1. make a concerted or violent attack on: "the Scots army assailed Edward's army from the rear" Similar attackassaultmake an assault onlaunch an attack onpounce onset uponlaunch oneself atweigh intofly atlet fly atturn onround onlash out athit out atbesetbelabourfall onaccostmugchargerushstormbesiegeinformal:lay intotear intolace intosail intopitch intoget stuck intowade intolet someone have itbeat upjumpset abouthave a go atlight into
- ▪ (of an unpleasant feeling or physical sensation) come upon (someone) suddenly and strongly: "she was assailed by doubts and regrets" Similar troubledisturbworryplaguebesettorturetormentrackbedevilnagvexharasspesterdogbe prey tobe the victim of
- ▪ criticize strongly: "he assailed a group of editors for their alleged excesses" Similar criticizecensureattackcondemncastigatechastiseberatelambastlashpilloryfind fault withabuserevilegive someone a bad pressinformal:knockslamhammerlay intogive someone a roastingcaneblastgive someone hellbite someone's head offjump down someone's throatslateslag offmonsterpummelcut upbagdated:ratearchaic:slashrare:excoriateobjurgatereprehend
Word Origin Middle English: from Old French asaill-, stressed stem of asalir, from medieval Latin assalire, from Latin assilire, from ad- ‘to’ + salire ‘to leap’; compare with assault.
Derivatives
- 1. assailable adjective
Scrabble Points: 6
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