attack

Meanings

1. 1
   noun

   an offensive move in a sport or game

   they won the game with a 10-hit attack in the 9th inning

2. 2
   noun

   the act of attacking

   attacks on women increased last year

3. 3
   noun

   (military) an offensive against an enemy (using weapons)

   the attack began at dawn

4. 4
   noun

   strong criticism

   The Times published an unexpected attack on my work.

5. 5
   noun

   the onset of a corrosive or destructive process (as by a chemical agent)

   the film was sensitive to attack by acids

6. 6
   noun

   a sudden occurrence of an uncontrollable condition

   an attack of diarrhea

7. 7
   verb

   to begin to injure

   The cancer cells are attacking the patient's liver.

8. 8
   verb

   to set to work upon

   I attacked my class's problem set with gusto.

Etymology

Etymology tree Proto-Indo-European *h₂éd Proto-Italic *ad Proto-Italic *ad- Latin ad- Italian a- Proto-Indo-European *dwóh₁ Proto-Indo-European *d(w)is- Proto-Italic *dis- Latin dis- Old French des- Proto-Indo-European *(s)teyg- Proto-Germanic *stikaną Proto-West Germanic *stekander. Old French atachier Old French destachier Middle French destacherbor. Italian distaccare Italian staccare Italian attaccarebor. French attaquer French attaquebor. English attack Borrowed from French attaque, derived from the verb attaquer, from Italian attaccare (“to join, attach”) (used in attaccare battaglia (“t…