attack
verb/əˈtæk/
/əˈtæk/
Verb Forms
| present simple I / you / we / they attack | /əˈtæk/ /əˈtæk/ |
| he / she / it attacks | /əˈtæks/ /əˈtæks/ |
| past simple attacked | /əˈtækt/ /əˈtækt/ |
| past participle attacked | /əˈtækt/ /əˈtækt/ |
| -ing form attacking | /əˈtækɪŋ/ /əˈtækɪŋ/ |
- [intransitive, transitive] to use violence to try to hurt or kill somebody
- Most dogs will not attack unless provoked.
- attack somebody/something Terrorists attacked several targets across the city.
- A woman was brutally attacked by a gang of youths.
- attack somebody with something One of the men viciously attacked officers with a home-made weapon.
- The man attacked him with a knife.
Extra ExamplesTopics Crime and punishmenta2- It's alleged that the man savagely attacked his neighbour in his home.
- They run a helpline for women who have been sexually attacked.
Oxford Collocations Dictionaryadverb- brutally
- savagely
- viciously
- …
- with
- [intransitive, transitive] to use weapons, such as guns and bombs against an enemy in a war, etc.
- Enemy forces attacked at night.
- attack somebody/something There are fears that the government is planning to attack neighbouring countries.
- At dawn the army attacked the town.
- [transitive] to criticize somebody/something severely
- attack somebody/something His latest work has been bitterly attacked by the critics.
- attack somebody/something for something He was publicly attacked for his political views.
- attack somebody/something for doing something The police have been attacked for failing to take immediate action.
- She has been attacked for ignoring her own party members.
- attack somebody/something over something The council has been attacked over its lack of investment in public services.
Extra Examples- a newspaper article attacking the England football manager
- He attacked the idea that the company's practices were bad for the environment.
- The studio audience repeatedly attacked the minister for her stance.
Oxford Collocations Dictionaryadverb- fiercely
- savagely
- strongly
- …
- for
- [transitive] attack something to have a harmful effect on something
- a disease that attacks the brain
- The vines were attacked by mildew.
Extra Examples- Bacteria act on sugars to form acids which attack the tooth surface.
- The virus attacks different cells in the body.
- [intransitive] to go forward in a game in order to try to score goals or points compare defend
- Spain attacked more in the second half and deserved a goal.
- A period of good attacking play gave Italy the lead.
- [transitive] attack something to deal with something with a lot of energy
- Let's attack one problem at a time.
use violence
in war
criticize
damage
in sport
do something with energy
Word Originearly 17th cent.: from French attaque (noun), attaquer (verb), from Italian attacco ‘an attack’, attaccare ‘join battle’, based on an element of Germanic origin (see attach).
Check pronunciation:
attack