| (v. t.) | To fall upon with force; to assail, as with force and arms; to assault. |
| (v. t.) | To assail with unfriendly speech or writing; to begin a controversy with; to attempt to overthrow or bring into disrepute, by criticism or satire; to censure; as, to attack a man, or his opinions, in a pamphlet. |
| (v. t.) | To set to work upon, as upon a task or problem, or some object of labor or investigation. |
| (v. t.) | To begin to affect; to begin to act upon, injuriously or destructively; to begin to decompose or waste. |
| (v. i.) | To make an onset or attack. |
| (n.) | The act of attacking, or falling on with force or violence; an onset; an assault; -- opposed to defense. |
| (n.) | An assault upon one's feelings or reputation with unfriendly or bitter words. |
| (n.) | A setting to work upon some task, etc. |
| (n.) | An access of disease; a fit of sickness. |
| (n.) | The beginning of corrosive, decomposing, or destructive action, by a chemical agent. |