ATTACK

Pronunciation (US):

(GB):

IPA (US):

 Dictionary entry overview: What does attack mean? 

• ATTACK (noun)
  The noun ATTACK has 9 senses:

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

2. an offensive move in a sport or game

3. intense adverse criticism

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

5. the act of attacking

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

7. a sudden occurrence of an uncontrollable condition

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

9. strong criticism

  Familiarity information: ATTACK used as a noun is familiar.

• ATTACK (verb)
  The verb ATTACK has 6 senses:

1. launch an attack or assault on; begin hostilities or start warfare with

2. attack in speech or writing

3. take the initiative and go on the offensive

4. attack someone physically or emotionally

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

6. begin to injure

  Familiarity information: ATTACK used as a verb is common.

 Dictionary entry details 

• ATTACK (noun)

Sense 1

Meaning:

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

Classified under:

Nouns denoting acts or actions

Synonyms:

attack; onrush; onset; onslaught

Context example:

the attack began at dawn

Hypernyms ("attack" is a kind of...):

military operation; operation (activity by a military or naval force (as a maneuver or campaign))

Meronyms (parts of "attack"):

assault (close fighting during the culmination of a military attack)

Domain category:

armed forces; armed services; military; military machine; war machine (the military forces of a nation)

Hyponyms (each of the following is a kind of "attack"):

coup de main; surprise attack (an attack without warning)

strafe (an attack of machine-gun fire or cannon fire from a low flying airplane)

fire; firing (the act of firing weapons or artillery at an enemy)

bombardment; bombing (an attack by dropping bombs)

counterattack; countermove (an attack by a defending force against an attacking enemy force in order to regain lost ground or cut off enemy advance units etc.)

strike (an attack that is intended to seize or inflict damage on or destroy an objective)

incursion; penetration (an attack that penetrates into enemy territory)

diversion; diversionary attack (an attack calculated to draw enemy defense away from the point of the principal attack)

banzai attack; banzai charge (a mass attack of troops without concern for casualties; originated by Japanese who accompanied it with yells of 'banzai')

charge (an impetuous rush toward someone or something)

ground attack (an attack by ground troops)

blitz; blitzkrieg (a swift and violent military offensive with intensive aerial bombardment)

Derivation:

attack (take the initiative and go on the offensive)

attack (launch an attack or assault on; begin hostilities or start warfare with)

Sense 2

Meaning:

An offensive move in a sport or game

Classified under:

Nouns denoting acts or actions

Context example:

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

Hypernyms ("attack" is a kind of...):

play; turn ((game) the activity of doing something in an agreed succession)

Hyponyms (each of the following is a kind of "attack"):

counterattack; counterplay ((chess) an attack that is intended to counter the opponent's advantage in another part of the board)

Sense 3

Meaning:

Intense adverse criticism

Classified under:

Nouns denoting communicative processes and contents

Synonyms:

attack; blast; fire; flack; flak

Context example:

don't give me any flak

Hypernyms ("attack" is a kind of...):

criticism; unfavorable judgment (disapproval expressed by pointing out faults or shortcomings)

Derivation:

attack (attack in speech or writing)

Sense 4

Meaning:

Ideas or actions intended to deal with a problem or situation

Classified under:

Nouns denoting acts or actions

Synonyms:

approach; attack; plan of attack

Context example:

his plan of attack was misguided

Hypernyms ("attack" is a kind of...):

conceptualisation; conceptualization; formulation (inventing or contriving an idea or explanation and formulating it mentally)

Hyponyms (each of the following is a kind of "attack"):

avenue (a line of approach)

Sense 5

Meaning:

The act of attacking

Classified under:

Nouns denoting acts or actions

Synonyms:

attack; attempt

Context example:

they made an attempt on his life

Hypernyms ("attack" is a kind of...):

crime; criminal offence; criminal offense; law-breaking ((criminal law) an act punishable by law; usually considered an evil act)

Hyponyms (each of the following is a kind of "attack"):

assault (a threatened or attempted physical attack by someone who appears to be able to cause bodily harm if not stopped)

Derivation:

attack (attack someone physically or emotionally)

Sense 6

Meaning:

A decisive manner of beginning a musical tone or phrase

Classified under:

Nouns denoting acts or actions

Synonyms:

attack; tone-beginning

Hypernyms ("attack" is a kind of...):

beginning; commencement; start (the act of starting something)

Sense 7

Meaning:

A sudden occurrence of an uncontrollable condition

Classified under:

Nouns denoting stable states of affairs

Context example:

an attack of diarrhea

Hypernyms ("attack" is a kind of...):

affliction (a cause of great suffering and distress)

Hyponyms (each of the following is a kind of "attack"):

spot; touch (a slight attack of illness)

heart attack (a sudden severe instance of abnormal heart function)

occlusion (closure or blockage (as of a blood vessel))

hysterics (an attack of hysteria)

convulsion; fit; paroxysm (a sudden uncontrollable attack)

apoplexy; cerebrovascular accident; CVA; stroke (a sudden loss of consciousness resulting when the rupture or occlusion of a blood vessel leads to oxygen lack in the brain)

ictus; raptus; seizure (a sudden occurrence (or recurrence) of a disease)

flare (a sudden recurrence or worsening of symptoms)

anxiety attack (a sudden acute episode of intense anxiety and feelings of panic)

Sense 8

Meaning:

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

Classified under:

Nouns denoting natural processes

Context example:

open to attack by the elements

Hypernyms ("attack" is a kind of...):

degeneration; devolution (the process of declining from a higher to a lower level of effective power or vitality or essential quality)

Derivation:

attack (begin to injure)

Sense 9

Meaning:

Strong criticism

Classified under:

Nouns denoting acts or actions

Context example:

he published an unexpected attack on my work

Hypernyms ("attack" is a kind of...):

criticism; unfavorable judgment (disapproval expressed by pointing out faults or shortcomings)

Hyponyms (each of the following is a kind of "attack"):

aspersion; calumny; defamation; denigration; slander (an abusive attack on a person's character or good name)

• ATTACK (verb)

Conjugation:

Sense 1

Meaning:

Launch an attack or assault on; begin hostilities or start warfare with

Classified under:

Verbs of fighting, athletic activities

Synonyms:

assail; attack

Context example:

Serbian forces assailed Bosnian towns all week

Hypernyms (to "attack" is one way to...):

contend; fight; struggle (be engaged in a fight; carry on a fight)

Verb group:

aggress; attack (take the initiative and go on the offensive)

Troponyms (each of the following is one way to "attack"):

beleaguer; besiege; circumvent; hem in; surround (surround so as to force to give up)

bust; raid (search without warning, make a sudden surprise attack on)

torpedo (attack or hit with torpedoes)

cannonade (attack with cannons or artillery)

strafe (attack with machine guns or cannon fire from a low-flying plane)

bomb; bombard (throw bombs at or attack with bombs)

invade; occupy (march aggressively into another's territory by military force for the purposes of conquest and occupation)

storm; surprise (attack by storm; attack suddenly)

gas (attack with gas; subject to gas fumes)

counterattack; counterstrike (make a counterattack)

hit; strike (make a strategic, offensive, assault against an enemy, opponent, or a target)

pelt; pepper (attack and bombard with or as if with missiles)

submarine (attack by submarine)

blitz (attack suddenly and without warning)

Sentence frames:

Somebody ----s something
Somebody ----s somebody

Antonym:

defend (be on the defensive; act against an attack)

Derivation:

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

attacker (someone who attacks)

Sense 2

Meaning:

Attack in speech or writing

Classified under:

Verbs of telling, asking, ordering, singing

Synonyms:

assail; assault; attack; lash out; round; snipe

Context example:

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

Hypernyms (to "attack" is one way to...):

criticise; criticize; knock; pick apart (find fault with; express criticism of; point out real or perceived flaws)

Troponyms (each of the following is one way to "attack"):

rubbish (attack strongly)

blister; scald; whip (subject to harsh criticism)

barrage; bombard (address with continuously or persistently, as if with a barrage)

whang (attack forcefully)

vitriol (subject to bitter verbal abuse)

claw (attack as if with claws)

abuse; blackguard; clapperclaw; shout (use foul or abusive language towards)

rip (criticize or abuse strongly and violently)

Sentence frames:

Somebody ----s something
Somebody ----s somebody
Something ----s somebody
Something ----s something

Derivation:

attack (intense adverse criticism)

attacker (someone who attacks)

Sense 3

Meaning:

Take the initiative and go on the offensive

Classified under:

Verbs of fighting, athletic activities

Synonyms:

aggress; attack

Context example:

The visiting team started to attack

Hypernyms (to "attack" is one way to...):

act; move (perform an action, or work out or perform (an action))

Verb group:

assail; attack (launch an attack or assault on; begin hostilities or start warfare with)

Troponyms (each of the following is one way to "attack"):

check (place into check)

fork (place under attack with one's own pieces, of two enemy pieces)

harass (exhaust by attacking repeatedly)

pin ((chess) immobilize a piece)

tackle (seize and throw down an opponent player, who usually carries the ball)

Sentence frames:

Something ----s
Somebody ----s
Somebody ----s something
Somebody ----s somebody

Derivation:

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

attacker (someone who attacks)

Sense 4

Meaning:

Attack someone physically or emotionally

Classified under:

Verbs of fighting, athletic activities

Synonyms:

assail; assault; attack; set on

Context example:

Nightmares assailed him regularly

Troponyms (each of the following is one way to "attack"):

molest (harass or assault sexually; make indecent advances to)

desecrate; outrage; profane; violate (violate the sacred character of a place or language)

assault; dishonor; dishonour; outrage; rape; ravish; violate (force (someone) to have sex against their will)

beset; set upon (assail or attack on all sides:)

jump (make a sudden physical attack on)

reassail (assail again)

savage (attack brutally and fiercely)

blindside (attack or hit on or from the side where the attacked person's view is obstructed)

rush (attack suddenly)

bulldog (attack viciously and ferociously)

set; sic (urge to attack someone)

bait (attack with dogs or set dogs upon)

Sentence frames:

Somebody ----s something
Somebody ----s somebody
Something ----s somebody

Derivation:

attack (the act of attacking)

attacker (someone who attacks)

Sense 5

Meaning:

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

Classified under:

Verbs of size, temperature change, intensifying, etc.

Context example:

I attacked the problem as soon as I got out of bed

Hypernyms (to "attack" is one way to...):

begin; commence; get; get down; set about; set out; start; start out (take the first step or steps in carrying out an action)

Sentence frame:

Somebody ----s something

Derivation:

attacker (someone who attacks)

Sense 6

Meaning:

Begin to injure

Classified under:

Verbs of grooming, dressing and bodily care

Context example:

Rust is attacking the metal

Hypernyms (to "attack" is one way to...):

affect (act physically on; have an effect upon)

Sentence frame:

Something ----s something

Derivation:

attack (the onset of a corrosive or destructive process (as by a chemical agent))

attacker (someone who attacks)

 Context examples 

Panic attacks can be induced in susceptible people by infusing them with a normally innocuous salt called sodium lactate.

(The Mechanism of Panic Attacks, NIH, US)

Insomnia is associated with increased risk of heart attack and stroke, according to a new research.

(Insomnia: Heart Attack, Stroke Risk, The Titi Tudorancea Bulletin)

The group didn’t find any associations between omega-3s and nonfatal heart attacks.

(Omega-3s linked with lower risk of fatal heart attacks, NIH)

Hepatitis B is a viral infection that attacks the liver.

(An Aspirin A Day Keep Liver Cancer Away, The Titi Tudorancea Bulletin)

On Sunday, November 24, Mars in Scorpio will oppose Uranus in Taurus, and each planet is attacking one another from your two financial houses—your second and eighth houses.

(AstrologyZone.com, by Susan Miller)

Following upon Mr. Higginbotham's unprovoked attack, Mr. Hermann von Schmidt showed his hand.

(Martin Eden, by Jack London)

However, I had the courage to rise and draw my hanger, and attack them in the air.

(Gulliver's Travels into several remote nations of the world, by Jonathan Swift)

Of the 628 participants who completed the questionnaire, just under one in five (19%) experienced a cardiovascular disease event and a similar number (21%) died during follow up from causes including cancer and heart attack.

(Patients with an ‘empathic’ GP at reduced risk of early death, University of Cambridge)

This new research shows, however, that oxygen also suppresses the anticancer activity of T cells, thereby permitting cancer cells that have spread to the lungs to escape immune attack and establish metastatic colonies.

(Oxygen can impair cancer immunotherapy in mice, NIH)

During the follow-up period, Tawakol said 22 of the study participants suffered a heart attack or stroke.

(Biological Link Found Between Stress, Heart Disease, VOA)