figurative. To encompass, surround, assail, possess detrimentally. said of temptations, dangers, difficulties, obstacles, evil influences.

transitive. To fight against, attack, assail. Obsolete. rare.

transitive. = assail, v.1 in various senses.

Of sin, disease, etc.: To attack. Obsolete.

Of sickness, etc.: to come upon (a person or persons), to assail or afflict. Frequently in passive and const. with or by.

To lay hold of, seize upon, grip; to catch, overtake. literal and figurative. Obsolete.

transitive. To overtake, affect = attain, v. 5.

In various figurative uses. With impersonal subject, e.g. death, disease, calamity: To oppress or attack suddenly. Also of a fear, a belief, etc…

transitive. To attack (a person); to assault, assail. Also in extended use. Obsolete.

transitive. Of a disease: to act on, lay hold of, or attack (a person, organ, etc.) contagiously. Also in extended use. (In later use merging…

transitive. To pester, harry; to attack, assail.

transitive. Of fire or frost: to act on, affect, or attack (something); to seize, take hold of.

To touch, strike, or seize upon, as a disease or other bodily or mental affection; to affect.

transitive. To appear in front of; to meet or receive with welcome, help, hostility, etc.; to confront. Obsolete.

In non-legal contexts. transitive. Of something abstract, as death, sickness, love, passion, misfortune, etc.: to seize, take hold of. Often in p…

transitive. To try to master, take by force, or overthrow; to attack, assail, assault. in various figurative and transferred senses. archaic.

transitive. To engage in battle; to attack, assault. Also figurative. Obsolete.

figurative.

intransitive. colloquial. To attack, assail; to make destructive inroads on.

Of things: To come roughly against, so as to batter, injure, or hurt; to dash against; = assail, v.1 4b.

transitive. To attack, assault, assail (now only figurative in general sense).

absol. and intransitive. To deal blows; to make an attack. Chiefly in phraseological expressions with… to lay at: to aim blows or an attack at; to…