1. make a concerted or violent attack on: "the Scots army assailed Edward's army from the rear"Similarattackassaultmake an assault onlaunch an attack onpounce onset uponlaunch oneself atweigh intofly atlet fly atturn onround onlash out athit out atbesetbelabourfall onaccostmugchargerushstormbesiegeinformal:lay intotear intolace intosail intopitch intoget stuck intowade intolet someone have itbeat upjumpset abouthave a go atlight into
Word OriginMiddle English: from Old French asaill-, stressed stem of asalir, from medieval Latin assalire, from Latin assilire, from ad- ‘to’ + salire ‘to leap’; compare with assault.