1. An assassination, murder, or murderous assault. [Obs.]
If I had made an assassinate upon your father.
B. Jonson.
2. An assassin. [Obs.] Dryden.
Assassination
(As*sas`si*na"tion) n. The act of assassinating; a killing by treacherous violence.
Assassinator
(As*sas"si*na`tor) n. An assassin.
Assassinous
(As*sas"sin*ous) a. Murderous. Milton.
Assastion
(As*sas"tion) n. [F., fr. LL. assatio, fr. L. assare to roast.] Roasting. [Obs.] Sir T. Browne.
Assault
(As*sault") n. [OE. asaut, assaut, OF. assaut, asalt, F. assaut, LL. assaltus; L. ad + saltus
a leaping, a springing, salire to leap. See Assail.]
1. A violent onset or attack with physical means, as blows, weapons, etc.; an onslaught; the rush or charge
of an attacking force; onset; as, to make assault upon a man, a house, or a town.
The Spanish general prepared to renew the assault.
Prescott.
Unshaken bears the assault
Of their most dreaded foe, the strong southwest.
Wordsworth.
2. A violent onset or attack with moral weapons, as words, arguments, appeals, and the like; as, to make
an assault on the prerogatives of a prince, or on the constitution of a government. Clarendon.
3. (Law) An apparently violent attempt, or willful offer with force or violence, to do hurt to another; an
attempt or offer to beat another, accompanied by a degree of violence, but without touching his person,
as by lifting the fist, or a cane, in a threatening manner, or by striking at him, and missing him. If the
blow aimed takes effect, it is a battery. Blackstone. Wharton.
Practically, however, the word assault is used to include the battery.
Mozley & W.
Syn. — Attack; invasion; incursion; descent; onset; onslaught; charge; storm.
Assault
(As*sault"), v. t. [imp. & p. p. Assaulted; p. pr. & vb. n. Assaulting.] [From Assault, n.: cf.
OF. assaulter, LL. assaltare.]
1. To make an assault upon, as by a sudden rush of armed men; to attack with unlawful or insulting
physical violence or menaces.
Insnared, assaulted, overcome, led bound.
Milton.
2. To attack with moral means, or with a view of producing moral effects; to attack by words, arguments,
or unfriendly measures; to assail; as, to assault a reputation or an administration.
Before the gates, the cries of babes newborn, . . .
Assault his ears.
Dryden.
In the latter sense, assail is more common.
Syn. — To attack; assail; invade; encounter; storm; charge. See Attack.
Assaultable
(As*sault"a*ble) a. Capable of being assaulted.
Assaulter
(As*sault"er) n. One who assaults, or violently attacks; an assailant. E. Hall.
