1. (noun) attack, onslaught, onset, onrush
(military) an offensive against an enemy (using weapons)
"the attack began at dawn"
2. (noun) attack
an offensive move in a sport or game
"they won the game with a 10-hit attack in the 9th inning"
3. (noun) fire, attack, flak, flack, blast
intense adverse criticism
"Clinton directed his fire at the Republican Party"; "the government has come under attack"; "don't give me any flak"
4. (noun) approach, attack, plan of attack
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. (noun) attack, attempt
the act of attacking
"attacks on women increased last year"; "they made an attempt on his life"
6. (noun) attack, tone-beginning
a decisive manner of beginning a musical tone or phrase
7. (noun) attack
a sudden occurrence of an uncontrollable condition
"an attack of diarrhea"
8. (noun) attack
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. (verb) attack
strong criticism
"he published an unexpected attack on my work"
10. (verb) attack, assail
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"
11. (verb) attack, round, assail, lash out, snipe, assault
attack in speech or writing
"The editors of the left-leaning paper attacked the new House Speaker"
12. (verb) attack, aggress
take the initiative and go on the offensive
"The Serbs attacked the village at night"; "The visiting team started to attack"
13. (verb) assail, assault, set on, attack
attack someone physically or emotionally
"The mugger assaulted the woman"; "Nightmares assailed him regularly"
14. (verb) attack
set to work upon; turn one's energies vigorously to a task
"I attacked the problem as soon as I got out of bed"
15. (verb) attack
begin to injure
"The cancer cells are attacking his liver"; "Rust is attacking the metal"
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Definition of 'attack' 
