attack
     n 1: (military) an offensive against an enemy (using weapons);
          "the attack began at dawn" [syn: {onslaught}, {onset}, {onrush}]
     2: a sudden occurrence of an uncontrollable condition; "an
        attack of diarrhea"
     3: intense adverse criticism; "Clinton directed his fire at the
        Republican Party"; "the government has come under attack";
        "don't give me any flak" [syn: {fire}, {flak}, {flack}, {blast}]
     4: the act of attacking; "attacks on women increased last
        year"; "they made an attempt on his life" [syn: {attempt}]
     5: an offensive move in a sport or game; "they won the game
        with a 10-hit attack in the 9th inning"
     6: the onset of a corrosive or destructive process (as by a
        chemical agent); "the film was sensitive to attack by
        acids"; "open to attack by the elements"
     7: ideas or actions intended to deal with a problem or
        situation; "his approach to every problem is to draw up a
        list of pros and cons"; "an attack on inflation"; "his
        plan of attack was misguided" [syn: {approach}, {plan of
        attack}]
     8: a decisive manner of beginning a musical tone or phrase
        [syn: {tone-beginning}]
     9: strong criticism; "he published an unexpected attack on my
        work"
     v 1: 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" [syn: {assail}] [ant: {defend}]
     2: attack in speech or writing; "The editors of the
        left-leaning paper attacked the new House Speaker" [syn: {round},
         {assail}, {lash out}, {snipe}, {assault}]
     3: take the initiative and go on the offensive; "The Serbs
        attacked the village at night"; "The visiting team started
        to attack" [syn: {aggress}]
     4: attack someone physically or emotionally; "The mugger
        assaulted the woman"; "Nightmares assailed him regularly"
        [syn: {assail}, {assault}, {set on}]
     5: set to work upon; turn one's energies vigorously to a task;
        "I attacked the problem as soon as I got out of bed"
     6: begin to injure; "The cancer cells are attacking his liver";
        "Rust is attacking the metal"
Source: WordNet® 2.0