Meaning & Definition of Attack in English

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

• "The attack began at dawn"

2. An offensive move in a sport or game

• "They won the game with a 10-hit attack in the 9th inning"

3. Intense adverse criticism

• "Clinton directed his fire at the republican party"

• "The government has come under attack"

• "Don't give me any flak"

4. Ideas or actions intended to deal with a problem or situation

• "His approach to every problem is to draw up a list of pros and cons"

• "An attack on inflation"

• "His plan of attack was misguided"

5. The act of attacking

• "Attacks on women increased last year"

• "They made an attempt on his life"

6. A decisive manner of beginning a musical tone or phrase

7. A sudden occurrence of an uncontrollable condition

• "An attack of diarrhea"

8. The onset of a corrosive or destructive process (as by a chemical agent)

• "The film was sensitive to attack by acids"

• "Open to attack by the elements"

9. Strong criticism

• "He published an unexpected attack on my work"

1. Launch an attack or assault on

• Begin hostilities or start warfare with

• "Hitler attacked poland on september 1, 1939 and started world war ii"

• "Serbian forces assailed bosnian towns all week"

2. Attack in speech or writing

• "The editors of the left-leaning paper attacked the new house speaker"

3. Take the initiative and go on the offensive

• "The serbs attacked the village at night"

• "The visiting team started to attack"

4. Attack someone physically or emotionally

• "The mugger assaulted the woman"

• "Nightmares assailed him regularly"

5. Set to work upon

• Turn one's energies vigorously to a task

• "I attacked the problem as soon as i got out of bed"

6. Begin to injure

• "The cancer cells are attacking his liver"

• "Rust is attacking the metal"