assail

verb

as·sail ə-ˈsāl How to pronounce assail (audio)

assailed; assailing; assails

transitive verb

: to attack violently : assault

The military has for years been developing offensive capabilities, giving it the power not just to defend the US but to assail its foes.

James Bamford

: to encounter, undertake, or confront energetically

When a lazy man does make up his mind to assail a piece of work, he is like a dog with a bone.

P. G. Wodehouse

: to oppose, challenge, or criticize harshly and forcefully

a proposal assailed by critics

… it is evident that Khrushchev was in trouble at home. The Chinese had also begun to assail him for being soft on the imperialists.

Alexander Darlin

: to trouble or afflict in a manner that threatens to overwhelm

a man assailed by doubts/fears

… but now a terrible fear began to assail me.

Bram Stoker

Many diseases stemming from bacterial, fungal and parasitic infections can assail human as well as canine systems.

Tom Ewing

: to be perceived by (a person, a person's senses, etc.) in a strongly noticeable and usually unpleasant way

Here, too, is brought … all the waste stuff of the nation—everything that is subject to rot, and that can add to the foul stench that assails our nostrils.

Edgar Rice Burroughs

assailable

ə-ˈsā-lə-bəl How to pronounce assail (audio)

adjective

Did you know?

Assail comes from an Anglo-French verb, assaillir, which itself traces back to the Latin verb assilire ("to leap upon"). Assilire combines the prefix ad- ("to, toward") with the Latin verb salire, meaning "to leap." (Salire is the root of a number of English words related to jumping or leaping, such as somersault and sally, as well as assault, a synonym of assail.) When assail was first used in the 13th century, it meant "to make a violent physical attack upon." By the early 15th century, English speakers were using the term to mean "to attack with words or arguments." Now the verb can refer to any kind of aggressive encounter, even if it is not necessarily violent or quarrelsome, as in "Upon entering the room, we were assailed by a horrible odor."

Example Sentences

Recent Examples on the Web Opponents of the plan continue to assail its fairness and the potential costs.

Danielle Douglas-gabriel, Anchorage Daily News, 27 Aug. 2022 Opponents of the plan continue to assail its fairness and the potential costs.

Danielle Douglas-gabriel, BostonGlobe.com, 26 Aug. 2022 And in the east, Russian forces have used long-range artillery to assail cities in the Donbas region, which Russian President Vladimir Putin seeks to control.

Libby Cathey, ABC News, 21 June 2022 What’s more, journalists didn’t hesitate to assail Cimino with questions about his new look.

Richard Brody, The New Yorker, 22 May 2022 This catastrophe is unfolding as the pandemic continues to assail health systems, depleting government resources, and as the Federal Reserve and other central banks raise interest rates to choke off inflation.

New York Times, 17 May 2022 Those who like to assail corporate owners that don’t have the backs of their journalists just got a fresh and compelling case in point.

Washington Post, 9 May 2022 Even after Buscaino decided to drop out, his political strategists continued to assail Caruso on Thursday.

Benjamin Oreskes, Los Angeles Times, 12 May 2022 RICK HESS - Biden admin found time to assail public charter schools, denounce state tests as an attack on public schools and give a taxpayer handout for college loans.

Jack Durschlag, Fox News, 20 Apr. 2022 See More

assailing

verb

present participle of assail

as in attacking

to criticize harshly and usually publicly the union organizers assailed the chemical company for failing to provide a safe working environment

Synonyms & Similar Words

Relevance

attacking
slamming
scolding
criticizing
blasting
savaging
abusing
excoriating
lambasting
castigating
insulting
scathing
bashing
trashing
harassing
cursing
berating
tying into
reviling
belaboring
harrying
haranguing
vituperating
sailing into
potshotting
reprimanding
affronting
vilifying
disparaging
execrating
blaspheming
chiding
belittling
slandering
beating up on
lighting into
chastising
profaning
whipping
traducing
rebuking
libeling
jumping (on)
slurring
fulminating
aspersing
blackguarding
libelling
imprecating
bad-mouthing
putting down
lacing (into)
lashing (out)

Antonyms & Near Antonyms

praising
commending
hailing
lauding
complimenting
acclaiming

as in assaulting

to take sudden, violent action against the small birds assailed the larger one that had threatened their nest

Synonyms & Similar Words

attacking
assaulting
storming
raiding
ambushing
striking
robbing
invading
charging
besetting
rushing
swarming
trashing
siccing
sicking
besieging
setting on
flying at
setting at
setting upon
bushwhacking
bombarding
tearing into
going at
pitching into
waylaying
rounding on
flanking
barraging
ravaging
beating up on
lighting into
surprising
sacking
plundering
battering
descending (on or upon)
blitzing
mobbing
turning (on)
buffeting
nuking
bombing
pouncing (on or upon)
jumping (on)
harrying
going in (on)
mugging
beleaguering
pillaging
cannonading
looting
enveloping
overrunning
bum-rushing
cannoning
plastering
ambuscading
pressing
surprizing
foraying
ganging up (on)
banging away (at)

Antonyms & Near Antonyms

defending
protecting
covering
securing
guarding
shielding

单词	assailing
释义	assail verb as·sail ə-ˈsāl assailed; assailing; assails transitive verb 1 : to attack violently : assault The military has for years been developing offensive capabilities, giving it the power not just to defend the US but to assail its foes. James Bamford 2 : to encounter, undertake, or confront energetically When a lazy man does make up his mind to assail a piece of work, he is like a dog with a bone. P. G. Wodehouse 3 : to oppose, challenge, or criticize harshly and forcefully a proposal assailed by critics … it is evident that Khrushchev was in trouble at home. The Chinese had also begun to assail him for being soft on the imperialists. Alexander Darlin 4 a : to trouble or afflict in a manner that threatens to overwhelm a man assailed by doubts/fears … but now a terrible fear began to assail me. Bram Stoker Many diseases stemming from bacterial, fungal and parasitic infections can assail human as well as canine systems. Tom Ewing b : to be perceived by (a person, a person's senses, etc.) in a strongly noticeable and usually unpleasant way Here, too, is brought … all the waste stuff of the nation—everything that is subject to rot, and that can add to the foul stench that assails our nostrils. Edgar Rice Burroughs assailable ə-ˈsā-lə-bəl adjective Did you know? Assail comes from an Anglo-French verb, assaillir, which itself traces back to the Latin verb assilire ("to leap upon"). Assilire combines the prefix ad- ("to, toward") with the Latin verb salire, meaning "to leap." (Salire is the root of a number of English words related to jumping or leaping, such as somersault and sally, as well as assault, a synonym of assail.) When assail was first used in the 13th century, it meant "to make a violent physical attack upon." By the early 15th century, English speakers were using the term to mean "to attack with words or arguments." Now the verb can refer to any kind of aggressive encounter, even if it is not necessarily violent or quarrelsome, as in "Upon entering the room, we were assailed by a horrible odor." Synonyms abuse attack bash belabor blast castigate excoriate jump (on) lambaste lambast potshot savage scathe slam trash vituperate See all Synonyms & Antonyms Example Sentences Recent Examples on the Web Opponents of the plan continue to assail its fairness and the potential costs. Danielle Douglas-gabriel, Anchorage Daily News, 27 Aug. 2022 Opponents of the plan continue to assail its fairness and the potential costs. Danielle Douglas-gabriel, BostonGlobe.com, 26 Aug. 2022 And in the east, Russian forces have used long-range artillery to assail cities in the Donbas region, which Russian President Vladimir Putin seeks to control. Libby Cathey, ABC News, 21 June 2022 What’s more, journalists didn’t hesitate to assail Cimino with questions about his new look. Richard Brody, The New Yorker, 22 May 2022 This catastrophe is unfolding as the pandemic continues to assail health systems, depleting government resources, and as the Federal Reserve and other central banks raise interest rates to choke off inflation. New York Times, 17 May 2022 Those who like to assail corporate owners that don’t have the backs of their journalists just got a fresh and compelling case in point. Washington Post, 9 May 2022 Even after Buscaino decided to drop out, his political strategists continued to assail Caruso on Thursday. Benjamin Oreskes, Los Angeles Times, 12 May 2022 RICK HESS - Biden admin found time to assail public charter schools, denounce state tests as an attack on public schools and give a taxpayer handout for college loans. Jack Durschlag, Fox News, 20 Apr. 2022 See More Word History Etymology Middle English, from Anglo-French assaillir, from Vulgar Latin assalire, alteration of Latin assilire* to leap upon, from ad- + salire to leap — more at sally First Known Use 13th century, in the meaning defined at sense 1 Kids Definition assail verb as·sail ə-ˈsāl assailed; assailing 1 : to attack violently or angrily with blows or words His plan was assailed by critics. 2 : to be troubled or bothered by assailed by doubts A horrible odor assailed my nose. assailing verb present participle of assail 1 as in attacking to criticize harshly and usually publicly the union organizers assailed the chemical company for failing to provide a safe working environment Synonyms & Similar Words Relevance attacking slamming scolding criticizing blasting savaging abusing excoriating lambasting castigating insulting scathing bashing trashing harassing cursing berating tying into reviling belaboring harrying haranguing vituperating sailing into potshotting reprimanding affronting vilifying disparaging execrating blaspheming chiding belittling slandering beating up on lighting into chastising profaning whipping traducing rebuking libeling jumping (on) slurring fulminating aspersing blackguarding libelling imprecating bad-mouthing putting down lacing (into) lashing (out) Antonyms & Near Antonyms praising commending hailing lauding complimenting acclaiming 2 as in assaulting to take sudden, violent action against the small birds assailed the larger one that had threatened their nest Synonyms & Similar Words attacking assaulting storming raiding ambushing striking robbing invading charging besetting rushing swarming trashing siccing sicking besieging setting on flying at setting at setting upon bushwhacking bombarding tearing into going at pitching into waylaying rounding on flanking barraging ravaging beating up on lighting into surprising sacking plundering battering descending (on or upon) blitzing mobbing turning (on) buffeting nuking bombing pouncing (on or upon) jumping (on) harrying going in (on) mugging beleaguering pillaging cannonading looting enveloping overrunning bum-rushing cannoning plastering ambuscading pressing surprizing foraying ganging up (on) banging away (at) Antonyms & Near Antonyms defending protecting covering securing guarding shielding
随便看	glowingly glowlamps glowr glows glowworm glowworms gloxinia gloxinias gloy gloze gloze (over) gloze over glozed glozed (over) glozed over glozes glozes (over) glozes over glozing glozing (over) glozing over glozings glt glu glub

assail

verb

Did you know?

Synonyms

Example Sentences

Word History

Kids Definition

verb

verb