attack

attack (http://definr.com/attack)

     adj : used in an attack; "assault weapons", "attack planes" [syn:
           assault(a), attack(a)]
     n 1: an offensive against and enemy (using weapons); "the attack
          began at dawn" [syn: onslaught, onset, onrush]
     2: a sudden occurrence of an uncontrollable condition; "an
        attack of diarrhea"
     3: intense adverse criticism; "Clinton directed his fire at the
        Republican Party"; "the government has come under attack";
        "don't give me any flak" [syn: fire, flak, flack, blast]
     4: the act of attacking; "attacks on women increased last
        year"; "they made an attempt on his life" [syn: attempt]
     5: an offensive move in a sport or game; "they won the game
        with a 10-hit attack in the 9th inning"
     6: 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"
     7: 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" [syn: approach, {plan of
        attack}]
     8: a decisive manner of beginning a musical tone or phrase
        [syn: tone-beginning]
     v 1: launch an attack or assault on; begin hostilities with, as
          in warfare; "Hitler attacked Poland on September 1, 1939
          and started World War II"; "Serbian forces assailed
          Bosnian towns all week" [syn: assail] [ant: defend]
     2: attack verbally, in speech or writing; "The editors of the
        left-leaning paper attacked the new House Speaker" [syn: round,
         assail, lash out, snipe, assault]
     3: take the initiative and go on the offensive: "The Serbs
        attacked the village at night"; "The visiting team started
        to attack" [syn: aggress]
     4: attack someone physically or emotionally; "The mugger
        assaulted the woman"; "Nightmares assailed him regularly"
        [syn: assail, assault, set on]
     5: set to work upon; turn one's energies vigorously to a task;
        "I attacked the problem as soon as I got out of bed"
     6: begin to injure; "The cancer cells are attacking his liver";
        "Rust is attacking the metal"