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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.
1 .
to make an assault upon; attack; assail.
Contemporary Examples

Even now, as millions sympathize with his ordeal, we barely know the names of the men who assaulted him, or why they did it.
Violence on Everest Peter Zuckerman, Amanda Padoan May 1, 2013

Americans by contrast are assaulted at every turn by ludicrous portions and fatty, sugary processed concoctions.
Mothers, Daughters, Food Lee Aitken March 4, 2009

Chloe was assaulted several years ago, when she was 18, by her then boyfriend during one of his booze- and Adderall-fueled binges.
Chris Brown Doesn’t Deserve Forgiveness for Beating Rihanna Marlow Stern February 14, 2012

In one of his last TV appearances, Coleman appeared on Inside Edition to respond to charges that he assaulted his wife.
Farewell, Gary Coleman: Watch 9 Great Moments The Daily Beast Video May 27, 2010

Those victims, who ranged in age from 17 to 43, were assaulted in their homes and cars.
LAPD Launches Manhunt for Prolific Serial ‘Teardrop Rapist’ Christine Pelisek April 24, 2012

Historical Examples

She even smiled when the others laughed at the ridiculous stories with which the children had assaulted her imagination.
Deerbrook Harriet Martineau

He led his men out of the trenches; he assaulted the bastion at the head of his brigade.
White Lies Charles Reade

She was beginning to inform me of all their distresses, when our ears were assaulted by an alarm-bell!
Munster Village Mary Hamilton

On the 8th, Taylor assaulted the superior force confronting him.
A History of the Nineteenth Century, Year by Year Edwin Emerson

Whether it was he also who assaulted the poor woman we are not informed.
Freaks of Fanaticism Sabine Baring-Gould

noun
a violent attack, either physical or verbal
(law) an intentional or reckless act that causes another person to expect to be subjected to immediate and unlawful violence Compare battery (sense 4), assault and battery

the culmination of a military attack, in which fighting takes place at close quarters
(as modifier): assault troops

rape or attempted rape
verb (transitive)
to make an assault upon
to rape or attempt to rape
n.

late 14c., earlier asaut (c.1200), from Old French asaut, assaut “an attack, an assault, attacking forces” (12c.), from Vulgar Latin *adsaltus “attack, assault,” from ad “to” (see ad-) + Latin saltus “a leap,” from salire “to leap, spring” (see assail). In law by 1580s; historically, assault includes menacing words or actions; battery is an actual blow.
v.

early 15c., from Middle French asauter, assauter, from Vulgar Latin *assaltare (see assault (n.)). Related: Assaulted; assaulting.