ASSAIL : Dictionary / Wörterbuch (BEOLINGUS, TU Chemnitz)

English Dictionary: ASSAIL	by the DICT Development Group
2 results for ASSAIL
From WordNet (r) 3.0 (2006) [wn]:
assail v attack someone physically or emotionally; "The mugger assaulted the woman"; "Nightmares assailed him regularly" Synonym(s): assail, assault, set on, attack launch an attack or assault on; begin hostilities or start warfare with; "Hitler attacked Poland on September 1, 1939 and started World War II"; "Serbian forces assailed Bosnian towns all week" Synonym(s): attack, assail Antonym(s): defend attack in speech or writing; "The editors of the left-leaning paper attacked the new House Speaker" Synonym(s): attack, round, assail, lash out, snipe, assault
From Webster's Revised Unabridged Dictionary (1913) [web1913]:
Assail \Assail"\ ([acr]ss[amac]l"), v. t. [imp. & p. p. {Assailed} (-s[amac]ld"); p. pr. & vb. n. {Assailing}.] [OE. assailen, asailen, OF. asaillir, assailler, F. assaillir; a (L. ad) + saillir to burst out, project, fr. L. salire to leap, spring; cf. L. assilire to leap or spring upon. See {Sally}.] 1. To attack with violence, or in a vehement and hostile manner; to assault; to molest; as, to assail a man with blows; to assail a city with artillery. No rude noise mine ears assailing. --Cowper. No storm can now assail The charm he wears within. --Keble. 2. To encounter or meet purposely with the view of mastering, as an obstacle, difficulty, or the like. The thorny wilds the woodmen fierce assail. --Pope. 3. To attack morally, or with a view to produce changes in the feelings, character, conduct, existing usages, institutions; to attack by words, hostile influence, etc.; as, to assail one with appeals, arguments, abuse, ridicule, and the like. The papal authority . . . assailed. --Hallam. They assailed him with keen invective; they assailed him with still keener irony. --Macaulay. Syn: To attack; assault; invade; encounter; fall upon. See {Attack}.