ASSAILED
Verb
assailed
simple past tense and past participle of assail
Source: Wiktionary
ASSAIL
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