society > armed hostility > warrior > attacker > [noun]
the world > action or operation > harm or detriment > hostile action or attack > [noun] > one who
a1400 (Pepys) (1976) 90 Þis londe is departed in þre... Þe wynners þo ben þe commune poeple... Þe defendoures þat ben þise grete Lordes... Þe assailours þat is þe clergie þat schulde teche boþe þat on & þat oþer þe lawȝe of god & chastise hem ȝif þat hij duden amysse.
a1450 ( tr. Vegetius (Douce) f. 69 (MED) Þi principal aduersarie..wheþer þei ben hastyf assaileres oþer slye.
1537 in R. Pitcairn (1833) I. 177 All infestacioune..of hostile assalȝearis or brokin personis.
a1586 Sir P. Sidney (1590) ii. xxi. sig. Cc6 Palladius..so pursued our assaylers.
1649 Bp. J. Hall ii. i. 99 If neither perswasion, nor the shifting (what we may) our station, can abate any thing of the rage of the assailer, death must.
1672 T. Jacombe viii. 185 If the Town..yields upon the first Summons, 'tis a sign that the Assailers are very strong.
1729 23 Nature will teach him to take the Assailer for his capital Enemy.
1798 M. Charlton III. vii. 318 The populace enraged at the haughty deportment of their assailer, had begun to resist his chastisement.
1832 E. Bulwer-Lytton III. v. ii. 118 Livid was the glare that shot from the Student's eye upon his assailer.
1876 M. Oliphant vi. 155 A besieging king or other potent assailer.
1910 R. Sabatini xix. 268 Cries and screams from the assailed and the shouts of the assailers.
1962 43 417/1 We have opened a Pandora's box, out of which creep..the assailers of ‘impure thoughts’.
2013 (Nexis) 3 Oct. 1 Moralez..did not live to see the day her assailer came out of jail.
