assault

Pronunciation: /əˈsɔlt/

Reading level: hard

Estimated CEFR level: B1 — Intermediate

Estimated from word frequency; not an official CEFR classification.

Definition

  1. noun close fighting during the culmination of a military attack
  2. noun a threatened or attempted physical attack by someone who appears to be able to cause bodily harm if not stopped
  3. noun thoroughbred that won the triple crown in 1946

Etymology

From Middle English assaut, from Old French noun assaut, derived from the past participle of the verb assalir, from Late Latin assalīre, from Latin ad (“at, towards”) + salīre (“jump”). See also assail. Spelling Latinized around 1530 to add an l.

In classic literature

Semantic network

Broader (hypernyms)
battle
Narrower (hyponyms)
storm, resisting arrest

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