a sudden, violent attack; onslaught

an assault on tradition.

Law . an unlawful physical attack upon another; an attempt or offer to do violence to another, with or without battery, as by holding a stone or club in a threatening manner.

Military . the stage of close combat in an attack.

rape 1 .

to make an assault upon; attack; assail.

noun

advance , aggression , charge , incursion , invasion , offensive , onset , onslaught , rape , storm , storming , strike , violationnotes:to assail a task is to approach it with the intent of mastering it , [[from latin salire \'to leap\'; assault is also based on this word and assail and assault can be synonymsassault is an attempt or threat to do physical harm while battery is unjustified application of force; assault and battery is carrying out of threatened physical harm or violence]] , assailment , attempt , offense , onrush

verb

abuse , advance , assail , bash , beset , blast , blitz , bushwhack , charge , come down on * , go for , haul off on , invade , jump , jump down one’s throat , jump on one’s case , lay into , let have it , light into * , rape , ruin , set upon , shoot down , slam , slap around , storm , strike , trash , violate , work over , zap *notes:to assail a task is to approach it with the intent of mastering it , [[from latin salire \'to leap\'; assault is also based on this word and assail and assault can be synonymsassault is an attempt or threat to do physical harm while battery is unjustified application of force; assault and battery is carrying out of threatened physical harm or violence]] , aggress , fall on , go at , have at , sail into , baste , batter , belabor , buffet , drub , hammer , pound , pummel , smash , thrash , thresh , force , ravish , aggression , attack , beat , bombardment , breach , fight , incursion , onset , onslaught , push , raid , siege , slug , smite