assail

Everyday

1. (formal) To assail someone is to attack them violently. tree →
2. To be assailed by doubts, worries, smells or questions is to have them come at you strongly from all sides. tree →

In the lessons

In history and stories, armies assail a castle. In everyday writing, «assailed by a terrible smell» or «assailed by questions from reporters». In The Wind in the Willows Mole is assailed by fear in the Wild Wood and later by the smell of his old home.

Examples

• The castle was assailed by enemy troops. tree →
• Mole was assailed by the smell of his old home. tree →
• She was assailed by doubts before the exam. tree →
• Reporters assailed the footballer with questions. tree →
• Strange noises assailed them in the dark wood. tree →
• The ship was assailed by storms. tree →
• Misfortune often assails us from an unexpected quarter. tree →

Note

Regular verb: assailed. Noun for the attacker: assailant. Formal; simpler words: attack, hit, bother.

In Jewish tradition

Here it means to attack. Danger and death are pictured as floods that rush upon the speaker.

Interpretation. The tradition reads this as David's song of thanks after God saved him from his enemies. The "floods" stand for great dangers.

Examples

• The floods of Belial assailed me. (Prophets 2SA.22.5, JPS 1917) tree →
• The cords of Death compassed me, and the floods of Belial assailed me. (Writings PSA.18.5, JPS 1917) tree →

Note

Regular verb: assailed. Noun for the attacker: assailant. Formal; simpler words: attack, hit, bother.