#716. Attack. -- N. attack; assault, assault and battery; onset, onslaught, charge.
aggression, offense; incursion, inroad, invasion; irruption; outbreak; estrapade[obs], ruade[obs]; coupe de main, sally, sortie, camisade[obs], raid, foray; run at, run against; dead set at.
storm, storming; boarding, escalade[obs]; siege, investment, obsession|!, bombardment, cannonade.
fire, volley; platoon fire, file fire; fusillade; sharpshooting, broadside; raking fire, cross fire; volley of grapeshot, whiff of the grape, feu d'enfer [Fr].
cut, thrust, lunge, pass, passado[obs], carte and tierce[Fr][obs], home thrust; coupe de bec[Fr]; kick, punch &c. (impulse) 276.
battue[obs], razzia[obs], Jacquerie, dragonnade[obs]; devastation &c. 162; eboulement[Fr].
assailant, aggressor, invader.
base of operations, point of attack; echelon.
V. attack, assault, assail; invade; set upon, fall upon; charge, impugn, break a lance with, enter the lists.
assume the offensive, take the offensive; be the aggressor, become the aggressor; strike the first blow, draw first blood, throw the first stone at; lift a hand against, draw the sword against; take up the cudgels; advance against, march against; march upon, harry; come on, show fight.
strike at, poke at, thrust at; aim a blow at, deal a blow at; give one a blow, fetch one a blow, fetch one a kick, give one a kick; have a cut at, have a shot at, take a cut at, take a shot at, have a fling at, have a shy at; be down upon, pounce upon; fall foul of, pitch into, launch out against; bait, slap on the face; make a thrust at, make a pass at, make a set at, make a dead set at; bear down upon.
close with, come to close quarters;
bring to bay.
ride full tilt against; attack tooth and nail, go at hammer and tongs.
let fly at, dash at, run a tilt at, rush at, tilt at, run at, fly at, hawk at, have at, let out at; make a dash, make a rush at; strike home; drive one hard; press one hard; be hard upon, run down, strike at the root of.
lay about one, run amuck.
aim at, draw a bead on [U.S.].
fire upon, fire at, fire a shot at; shoot at, pop at, level at, let off a gun at; open fire, pepper, bombard, shell, pour a broadside into; fire a volley, fire red-hot shot; spring a mine.
throw a stone, throw stones at; stone, lapidate[obs], pelt; hurl at, hurl against, hurl at the head of; rock
beset[U.S.], besiege, beleaguer; lay siege to, invest, open the trenches, plant a battery, sap, mine; storm, board, scale the walls.
cut and thrust, bayonet, butt; kick, strike &c. (impulse) 276; whip &c. (punish) 972.
[attack verbally] assail, impugn; malign (detract) 934.
bomb, rocket, blast.
Adj. attacking &c.v.; aggressive, offensive, obsidional[obs].
up in arms.
Adv. on the offensive.
Int. "up and at them!"
Phr. "the din of arms, the yell of savage rage, the shriek of agony, the groan of death" [Southey]; "their fatal hands no second stroke intend" [Paradise Lost]; "thirst for glory quells the love of life" [Addison].