Attack | Mean of attack in English Dictionary

/əˈtæk/

• Verb
• to act violently against (someone or something)
1. He attacked the guard with a knife.
2. Troops attacked the fortress at dawn.
3. He was attacked by a dog.
4. He was attacked from behind by two men.
5. Suddenly, the dog attacked.
6. The troops attacked at dawn.
• to criticize (someone or something) in a very harsh and severe way
1. The study has been attacked as unscientific. [=people have criticized the study by saying that it is unscientific]
2. People are attacking the mayor for breaking campaign promises.
3. The professor has been widely attacked for her position on the issue.
• to begin to work on or deal with (something, such as a problem) in a determined and eager way
1. We eagerly attacked the problem. [=we eagerly tried to solve the problem]

• to begin to eat (food) eagerly
1. Did you see the way the kids attacked that pizza?
• to begin to harm, injure, or destroy (something)
1. The virus attacks the body's immune system.
2. A number of trees have been attacked by the disease.
3. Insects have attacked the crops.
• to try to score points or goals by moving forward in a very forceful way
1. The team attacked from the outset, so it was no surprise that they won.
2. The offense attacked the weak defensive line.
• Noun
• a violent, harmful, or destructive act against someone or something
1. dog/shark attacks = attacks by dogs/sharks
2. One of the patients was the victim of a knife attack. [=an attack made using a knife]
3. There have been a number of attacks on women on the campus.
• harmful or destructive action against something by a disease, insect, chemical, etc.
1. The immune system is the body's defense against attack by germs.
2. The spray protects plants from attacks by many common pests.
• an attempt by a military force to defeat an enemy
1. an air/ground attack = an attack made from the air/ground
2. The surprise attack came at dawn.
3. There is a threat of nuclear attack.
• strong or severe criticism
1. There have been many attacks against the professor for her position on the issue.
2. a verbal attack
3. The newspaper editorial is an attack on policy-makers.
• a sudden short period of suffering from an illness or of being affected by a strong emotion
1. an asthma attack
2. a panic/anxiety attack
3. an attack of the flu
4. an attack of food poisoning
5. an attack of nerves/melancholy
6. an attack of the giggles
7. He had an unexpected attack of goodness and helped us out.
• an attempt to destroy or end something
1. City leaders have called for an attack on poverty.
2. Local schools are mounting an attack on racism.
• a method of dealing with something (such as a problem)
1. Each problem calls for a different attack.
2. The current approach isn't working. I think we need a new plan of attack. [=a new idea of how to do what we are trying to do]
• an attempt by a player or group of players to score points, goals, or runs
1. They had a sustained attack but could not score.
2. The players carried the attack deep into the opponent's side of the field.
3. They won the game in the last two innings with an 8-hit attack. [=they won the game by getting eight hits in the last two innings]
• the players on a team who try to score
1. The team's attack has been weakened by injury.
2. He will play in attack. [=(US) on offense]
• making an attack
1. The soldiers were on the attack. [=were attacking the enemy]
2. The team was on the attack [=was aggressively trying to score] for most of the first half.
3. The team went on the attack [=began to attack] and quickly scored a goal.
4. The candidate went on the attack and accused his opponent of lying.
5. Opponents of the project went on the attack and defeated the land sale.
• being affected or hurt by an attack
1. The troops were under attack [=were being attacked by the enemy] throughout the day.
2. The troops suddenly came under attack. [=began to be attacked]
3. The new policy has come under attack [=has been strongly criticized] by environmentalists.
• designed for or used in a military attack
1. an attack helicopter/submarine
2. The bombers were in attack formation.