attack

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

• “the attack began at dawn”

a sudden occurrence of an uncontrollable condition

• “an attack of diarrhea”

intense adverse criticism

• “Clinton directed his fire at the Republican Party”
• “the government has come under attack”
• “don”

the act of attacking

• “attacks on women increased last year”
• “they made an attempt on his life”

an offensive move in a sport or game

• “they won the game with a 10-hit attack in the 9th inning”

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”

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”

a decisive manner of beginning a musical tone or phrase

strong criticism

• “he published an unexpected attack on my work”

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”

attack in speech or writing

• “The editors of the left-leaning paper attacked the new House Speaker”

take the initiative and go on the offensive

• “The Serbs attacked the village at night”
• “The visiting team started to attack”

attack someone physically or emotionally

• “The mugger assaulted the woman”
• “Nightmares assailed him regularly”

set to work upon; turn one''s energies vigorously to a task

• “I attacked the problem as soon as I got out of bed”

begin to injure

• “The cancer cells are attacking his liver”
• “Rust is attacking the metal”