Meaning of assault in English

  1. Pronunciation

    /əˈsɔlt/

    US accent Play button

    UK accent Play button

  1. Verb

    assault

    Etymology

    Middle English: from Old French asaut (noun), assauter (verb), based on Latin ad-‘to’ + saltare, frequentative of salire‘to leap’. Compare with assail

    Definitions

    1. attack someone physically or emotionally

    Examples

    • « The mugger assaulted the woman »
    • « Nightmares assailed him regularly »
  2. 2. force (someone) to have sex against their will

    Examples

    • « The woman was raped on her way home at night »
  3. 3. attack in speech or writing

    Examples

    • « The editors of the left-leaning paper attacked the new House Speaker »

  4. Noun

    assault

    Definitions

    1. close fighting during the culmination of a military attack
  5. 2. a threatened or attempted physical attack by someone who appears to be able to cause bodily harm if not stopped
  6. 3. thoroughbred that won the triple crown in 1946
  7. 4. the crime of forcing a woman to submit to sexual intercourse against her will