onslaught

Meanings

1. 1
   noun

   a fierce or violent attack, or an overwhelming quantity of something

   The town braced for the onslaught of the approaching storm.

Probably from Middle Dutch 'aenslag' ('attack', literally 'a striking on'), from 'aen' ('on') plus 'slag' ('a blow'); the spelling was later assimilated to English 'slaught' (slaughter).

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