attack

v

1. assault, raid, storm, charge, rush, blitz, blitzkrieg; set upon, pounce upon, descend upon, fall on, open fire.upon, begin hostilities; light into, Inf. lace into, Inf. rip into, Inf. tear into, Sl. zap, Sl. let [s.o.] have it, Sl. lay into, Archaic. insult; pelt, bombard, barrage, pepper, strafe, fusillade, broadside, Mil. enfilade, Inf. gang up on; beset, besiege, siege, beleaguer.

2. assail, vituperate, revile, rail against, inveigh against, lash, abuse, belabor, Inf. jump down [s.o.'s] throat, Archaic. clapperclaw; scold, tongue-lash, rate, slate, harangue, rant, curse, execrate, imprecate, anathematize; upbraid, objurgate, excoriate, lambaste, flay, fulminate against, Inf. slam; castigate, chastise, berate, censure, criticize, reproach, rebuke, reprove, Inf. jump on, Inf. dress down, Sl. jump all over, Sl. chew out, Sl. strafe.

3. vilify, traduce, asperse, calumniate, impugn, slur, malign, defame, denigrate, slander, libel, backbite, bespatter; denounce, decry, disparage, discredit, depreciate, deprecate, belittle, minimize, run or put down, Inf. knock, Sl. badmouth.

4. jump into with both feet, Inf. dig into; set about, go to work on, undertake, get started on, get going.

5.(all of disease, destructive agencies, etc.) seize, have in the clutches.

n

6. assault, offensive, onslaught; rush, blitz, blitzkrieg, storming, Fr. coup de main, Obs. brunt; bombardment, strafing, air raid, peppering, salvo, fusillade, Both Mil. barrage, enfilade, Navy. broadside; encounter, conflict, battle, combat, Mil. skirmish; raid, foray, sortie, sally; invasion, aggression, incursion, escalade; siege, besiegement, besetment, investment.

7. onset, commencement, start, beginning.

8.(of diseases) seizure, fit, stroke, spell, Pathol. paroxysm.