1 attack
/əˈtæk/
verb
attacks;
attacked;
attacking
1 attack
/əˈtæk/
verb
attacks;
attacked;
attacking
Britannica Dictionary definition of ATTACK
1
:
to act violently against (someone or something)
:
to try to hurt, injure, or destroy (something or someone)
[+ object]
-
He attacked the guard with a knife.
-
Troops attacked the fortress at dawn.
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— often used as (be) attacked
-
He was attacked by a dog.
-
He was attacked from behind by two men.
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[no object]
-
Suddenly, the dog attacked.
-
The troops attacked at dawn.
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2
[+ object]
:
to criticize (someone or something) in a very harsh and severe way
-
The study has been attacked as unscientific. [=people have criticized the study by saying that it is unscientific]
-
People are attacking the mayor for breaking campaign promises.
-
The professor has been widely attacked for her position on the issue.
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3
[+ object]
a
:
to begin to work on or deal with (something, such as a problem) in a determined and eager way
-
We eagerly attacked the problem. [=we eagerly tried to solve the problem]
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b
:
to begin to eat (food) eagerly
-
Did you see the way the kids attacked that pizza?
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4
[+ object]
:
to begin to harm, injure, or destroy (something)
-
The virus attacks the body's immune system.
-
A number of trees have been attacked by the disease.
-
Insects have attacked the crops.
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5
sports
:
to try to score points or goals by moving forward in a very forceful way
[no object]
-
The team attacked from the outset, so it was no surprise that they won.
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[+ object]
-
The offense attacked the weak defensive line.
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— attacker
noun,
plural
attackers
[count]
-
She was able to identify her attacker, and he was later brought to trial.
-
The defense trapped the attacker and got the ball back.
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2 attack
/əˈtæk/
noun
plural
attacks
2 attack
/əˈtæk/
noun
plural
attacks
Britannica Dictionary definition of ATTACK
1
a
[count]
:
a violent, harmful, or destructive act against someone or something
-
dog/shark attacks = attacks by dogs/sharks
-
One of the patients was the victim of a knife attack. [=an attack made using a knife]
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— often + on
-
There have been a number of attacks on women on the campus.
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b
:
harmful or destructive action against something by a disease, insect, chemical, etc.
[noncount]
-
The immune system is the body's defense against attack by germs.
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[count]
-
The spray protects plants from attacks by many common pests.
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2
:
an attempt by a military force to defeat an enemy
:
a military offensive
[count]
-
an air/ground attack = an attack made from the air/ground
-
The surprise attack came at dawn.
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[noncount]
-
There is a threat of nuclear attack.
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3
[count]
:
strong or severe criticism
-
There have been many attacks against the professor for her position on the issue.
-
a verbal attack
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The newspaper editorial is an attack on policy-makers.
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4
[count]
:
a sudden short period of suffering from an illness or of being affected by a strong emotion
-
an asthma attack
-
a panic/anxiety attack
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— often + of
-
an attack of the flu
-
an attack of food poisoning
-
an attack of nerves/melancholy
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— sometimes used figuratively
-
an attack of the giggles
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He had an unexpected attack of goodness and helped us out.
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— see also heart attack
5
[count]
:
an attempt to destroy or end something
— often + on
-
City leaders have called for an attack on poverty.
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Local schools are mounting an attack on racism.
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6
:
a method of dealing with something (such as a problem)
[count]
-
Each problem calls for a different attack.
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[noncount]
-
The current approach isn't working. I think we need a new plan of attack. [=a new idea of how to do what we are trying to do]
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7
sports
a
[count]
:
an attempt by a player or group of players to score points, goals, or runs
— usually singular
-
They had a sustained attack but could not score.
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The players carried the attack deep into the opponent's side of the field.
-
They won the game in the last two innings with an 8-hit attack. [=they won the game by getting eight hits in the last two innings]
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b
British
:
the players on a team who try to score
:
offense
[singular]
-
The team's attack has been weakened by injury.
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[noncount]
-
He will play in attack. [=(US) on offense]
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on the attack
:
making an attack
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The soldiers were on the attack. [=were attacking the enemy]
-
The team was on the attack [=was aggressively trying to score] for most of the first half.
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The team went on the attack [=began to attack] and quickly scored a goal.
-
The candidate went on the attack and accused his opponent of lying.
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Opponents of the project went on the attack and defeated the land sale.
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under attack
:
being affected or hurt by an attack
:
being attacked
-
The troops were under attack [=were being attacked by the enemy] throughout the day.
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The troops suddenly came under attack. [=began to be attacked]
-
The new policy has come under attack [=has been strongly criticized] by environmentalists.
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3 attack
/əˈtæk/
adjective
3 attack
/əˈtæk/
adjective
Britannica Dictionary definition of ATTACK
always used before a noun
:
designed for or used in a military attack
-
an attack helicopter/submarine
-
The bombers were in attack formation.
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