assault

noun

1. (countable, uncountable)A violent onset or attack with physical means, for example blows, weapons, etc.

   “The army made an assault on the enemy.”

   “The Spanish general prepared to renew the assault.”

   “Unshaken bears the assault / Of their most dreaded foe, the strong southwest.”

   “Hostilities peaked with the Skyllian Blitz of 2176, an attack on the human capital of Elysium by batarian-funded pirates and slavers. In 2178, the Alliance retaliated with a crushing assault on the moon of Torfan, long used as a staging base by batarian-backed criminals. In the aftermath, the batarians retreated into their own systems, and are now rarely seen in Citadel space.”

2. (countable, uncountable)A violent verbal attack, for example with insults, criticism, and the like

   “She launched a written assault on the opposition party.”

3. (countable, uncountable)An attempt to commit battery: a violent attempt, or willful effort with force or violence, to do hurt to another, but without necessarily touching the person, such as by raising a fist in a threatening manner, or by striking at the person and missing.
4. (countable, singular, singular-only, uncountable)The crime whose action is such an attempt.
5. (countable, uncountable)An act that causes someone to apprehend imminent bodily harm (such as brandishing a weapon).
6. (countable, singular, singular-only, uncountable)The tort whose action is such an act.
7. (countable, uncountable)A non-competitive combat between two fencers.

verb

1. (transitive)To attack, physically or figuratively; to assail.

   “Tom was accused of assaulting another man outside a nightclub.”

   “Loud music assaulted our ears as we entered the building.”

2. (transitive)To threaten or harass.