ASSAIL

attack, round, assail, lash out, snipe, assault

(verb) attack in speech or writing; “The editors of the left-leaning paper attacked the new House Speaker”

attack, assail

(verb) 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”

assail, assault, set on, attack

(verb) attack someone physically or emotionally; “The mugger assaulted the woman”; “Nightmares assailed him regularly”

Source: WordNet® 3.1

Etymology

Verb

assail (third-person singular simple present assails, present participle assailing, simple past and past participle assailed)

(transitive) To attack with harsh words or violent force.

Anagrams

• Alissa

Source: Wiktionary

As*sail", v. t. [imp. & p. p. Assailed; p. pr. & vb. n. Assailing.] Etym: [OE. assailen, asailen, OF. asaillir, assailler, F. assaillir; (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.

Source: Webster’s Unabridged Dictionary 1913 Edition