assault
- n. 攻击, 袭击
- n. 突击, 猛攻
- v. 攻击, 袭击
- Definition
- n. a violent physical attack on someone
- n. a fast, violent attack, especially in a military operation
- v. to attack someone violently
- Example
- The guard reported an assault near the parking lot.
- 保安报告说停车场附近发生了一起袭击事件。
Synonyms & Differences 近义词辨析
Compared meaning: to use violence against someone (verb).
比较义项：使用暴力攻击某人（动词）。
- attack
The general, neutral word for violent action against someone; used in ordinary, military, sports and even verbal contexts. Common collocations: attack someone/something, come under attack, launch an attack.
attack是最普通、语气中性的词，可用于日常、军事、体育甚至言语攻击等多种语境，常见搭配有attack someone、attack something、come under attack、launch an attack。
A stray dog attacked the mailman on his morning round.
一只流浪狗在邮递员晨间投递时攻击了他。
- assault 本词
More formal, often legal or crime-report register; suggests a sudden, violent, usually unlawful attack on a person, frequently physical or sexual, common in police and news language.
assault语气更正式，常见于法律和治安报道语境，指突然而暴力、通常违法的攻击，多涉及人身或性方面的侵害，常见于“被控assault”等警方与新闻用语。
The two men were charged after they assaulted a stranger outside the bar.
这两名男子因在酒吧外袭击一名陌生人而被起诉。
- assail
Formal, literary word suggesting a forceful, often repeated or overwhelming attack; frequently used figuratively for non-physical forces like doubts, criticism or weather, rather than everyday physical violence.
assail是正式且偏文学化的词，表示猛烈、常常持续不断或令人难以招架的攻击，也常用于比喻义，形容疑虑、批评或恶劣天气等对人造成的“侵袭”，而非日常的人身暴力。
Fierce winds assailed the climbers as they neared the summit.
猛烈的狂风在登山者接近顶峰时向他们袭来。
Attack, assault, and assail mean using violence against someone. Attack is neutral and common. Assault is formal, often legal, for a sudden, unlawful attack. Assail is formal, literary, often figurative, for doubts or weather. Not covered: attack meaning criticize, and assault as a legal noun.
这三个词在此义项上都表示暴力攻击某人，但语气和使用场合不同：attack最常见、语气中性；assault语气更正式，常见于法律与治安语境；assail语气正式且偏文学化，更常用于比喻义，如疑虑、批评或恶劣天气等对人的“侵袭”。这里不比较attack作“抨击、批评”或体育“进攻”讲的用法，也不比较assault作“人身侵犯”法律罪名的名词用法。