Tra từ attack - Từ điển Oxford Advanced Learner 8th

at·tack [attack attacks attacked attacking] noun, verb BrE [əˈtæk] NAmE [əˈtæk]
noun

VIOLENCE
1. countable, uncountable ~ (on sb) an act of using violence to try to hurt or kill sb
•a series of racist attacks
• A child is recovering in hospital after a serious attack by a stray dog.

IN WAR
2. countable, uncountable ~ (on sb/sth) an act of trying to kill or injure the enemy in war, using weapons such as guns and bombs
•to launch/make/mount an attack
• The patrol came under attack from all sides.
see also ↑counter-attack

CRITICISM
3. countable, uncountable ~ (on sb/sth) strong criticism of sb/sth in speech or in writing
•a scathing attack on the government's policies
• The school has come under attack for failing to encourage bright pupils.

ACTION TO STOP STH
4. countable ~ (on sth) an action that you take to try to stop or change sth that you feel is bad
•to launch an all-out attack on poverty/unemployment

OF ILLNESS
5. countable a sudden, short period of illness, usually severe, especially an illness that you have often
•to suffer an asthma attack
•an acute attack of food poisoning
•a panic attack
• (figurative)an attack of the giggles
see also ↑heart attack

OF EMOTION
6. countable a sudden period of feeling an emotion such as fear
•an attack of nerves

DAMAGE
7. uncountable, countable the action of sth such as an insect, or a disease, that causes damage to sth/sb
• The roof timbers were affected by rot and insect attack.

IN SPORT
8. singular (BrE) (NAmE of·fense)the players in a team whose job is to try to score goals or points
• Germany's attack has been weakened by the loss of some key players through injury.
compare ↑defence
9. countable, uncountable the actions that players take to try to score a goal or win the game
•a sustained attack on the Arsenal goal

Word Origin:
early 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).

Thesaurus:
attack noun
1. C
•a vicious knife attack
assault • • rape •
an attack/assault on/against sb
a/an violent/brutal/savage/vicious/alleged attack/assault/rape
carry out an attack/assault
2. C, U
•He ordered his men to mount an attack on the city.
raid • • assault • • strike • • invasion • • offensive • |formal incursion •
a/an attack/raid/assault/strike/offensive against sb/sth
a/an attack/assault/strike/offensive/incursion on sb/sth
a military attack/raid/assault/strike/invasion/offensive/incursion
plan/launch a/an attack/raid/assault/strike/invasion/offensive
3. C, U
•She launched a scathing attack on the government's policies.
assault • • criticism • • condemnation • |formal denunciation • • censure •
an attack/assault on sb/sth
come under attack/assault/criticism/censure
Attack or assault? Attack is used more frequently, but an assault can be more severe and damaging.
4. C
•recovering from an attack of food poisoning
bout • • fit • • outburst • • burst • • flurry •
a/an attack/bout/fit/outburst/burst/flurry of sth
suffer from/have/bring on a/an attack/bout/fit (of sth)
trigger a/an attack/fit/outburst (of sth)
Attack or bout? You can use either to describe period of illness, but attack describes a shorter and more sudden illness than bout.

Collocations:
War and peace
Starting a war
declare/make/wage war (on sb/sth)
go to war (against/with sb)
cause/spark/provoke/foment/quell unrest
incite/lead/crush/suppress a revolt/rebellion
launch/mount/carry out a surprise/terrorist attack
prevent/halt/represent an escalation of the conflict
be torn apart by/be on the brink of civil war
enter/invade/occupy sb's territory
lead/launch/resist/repel an invasion
Military operations
adopt/develop/implement/pursue a military strategy
carry out/execute/perform military operations/manoeuvres/(especially US) maneuvers
send/deploy/station/pull back/withdraw troops
go on/fly/carry out a reconnaissance/rescue mission
train/equip/deploy army/military/combat units
lead/launch/conduct a raid/a surprise attack/an (air/airborne/amphibious) assault (on sb)
employ/use guerrilla tactics
conduct/wage biological/guerrilla warfare
fight/crush/defeat the rebels/the insurgency
suffer/inflict a crushing defeat
achieve/win a decisive victory
halt/stop the British/German/Russian advance
order/force a retreat
Fighting
join/serve in the army/navy/air force
be/go/remain/serve on active duty
serve/complete/return from a tour of duty
be sent to the front (line)
attack/strike/engage/defeat/kill/destroy the enemy
see/report/be engaged in heavy fighting
call for/be met with armed resistance
come under heavy/machine-gun/mortar fire
fire a machine-gun/mortar shells/rockets (at sb/sth)
shoot a rifle/a pistol/bullets/missiles
launch/fire a cruise/ballistic/anti-tank missile
use biological/chemical/nuclear weapons
inflict/suffer/sustain heavy losses/casualties
be hit/killed by enemy/friendly/artillery fire
become/be held as a prisoner of war
Civilians in war
harm/kill/target/protect innocent/unarmed civilians
cause/avoid/limit/minimize civilian casualties/collateral damage
impose/enforce/lift a curfew
engage in/be a victim of ethnic cleansing
be sent to an internment/a concentration camp
accept/house/resettle refugees fleeing from war
fear/threaten military/violent reprisals
commit/be accused of war crimes/crimes against humanity/genocide
Making peace
make/bring/win/achieve/maintain/promote peace
call for/negotiate/broker/declare a ceasefire/a temporary truce
sign a ceasefire agreement
call for/bring/put an end to hostilities
demand/negotiate/accept the surrender of sb/sth
establish/send (in) a peacekeeping force
negotiate/conclude/ratify/sign/accept/reject/break/violate a peace treaty

Example Bank:
•Bombers pressed home their attack, causing severe damage to harbour installations.
•Doctors have gone on the attack, accusing the government of incompetence.
•He has laid himself wide open to attack.
•He suffers from attacks of anxiety.
•He was subjected to a violent attack.
•Is this a personal attack on the president, or a criticism of the government?
•It was seen as a personal attack on the president.
•Most of the population would stand little chance of surviving a nuclear attack.
•Stephen had died in an unprovoked racist attack.
•The administration may launch a pre-emptive attack against terrorist bases.
•The attack took place under cover of darkness.
•The border towns have suffered a series of attacks.
•The first line of attack is often name-calling.
•The government's decision has provoked an attack from leaders of the health service.
•The province has been under attack from the rebels.
•The soldiers mounted an all-out attack on the town.
•They came under sustained attack from the air.
•Two teenagers carried out a frenzied attack on a local shopkeeper.
•Where did the attack happen?
•a fatal heart attack
•a heart attack brought on by stress
•a sudden attack of nerves
•an attack by an armed gang
•an attack by rebel forces
•an attack on a bus driver
•an attack on enemy positions
•an attack on my integrity
•an increase in knife attacks on police officers
•attacks against civilians
•the sneak attack on Pearl Harbor
•vicious attacks against pensioners
•vicious attacks against senior citizens
•An attack of nerves took hold of her.
•He died after suffering an asthma attack.
•He is recovering in hospital after an acute attack of food poisoning.
•He ordered his men to mount an attack on the city.
•Not everyone who has problems with stress and anxiety will have panic attacks.
•Police have reported a series of racist attacks.
•She launched a scathing attack on the government's policies.
•The school has come under attack for failing to encourage bright students.

verb

USE VIOLENCE
1. intransitive, transitive, often passive to use violence to try to hurt or kill sb
• Most dogs will not attack unless provoked.
•~ sb A woman was attacked and robbed by a gang of youths.
•~ sb with sth The man attacked him with a knife.

IN WAR
2. intransitive, transitive to use weapons, such as guns and bombs against an enemy in a war, etc
• The guerrillas attack at night.
•~ sb/sth At dawn the army attacked the town.

CRITICIZE
3. transitive to criticize sb/sth severely
•~ sb/sth a newspaper article attacking the England football manager
•~ sb/sth for sth/for doing sth She has been attacked for ignoring her own party members.

DAMAGE
4. transitive ~ sth to have a harmful effect on sth
•a disease that attacks the brain
• The vines were attacked by mildew.

DO STH WITH ENERGY
5. transitive ~ sth to deal with sth with a lot of energy and determination
• Let's attack one problem at a time.

IN SPORT
6. 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.
Verb forms:

Word Origin:
early 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).

Thesaurus:
attack verb
1. T, I
•He was attacked with a knife.
assault • • beat sb up • • mug • • strike •
attack/assault/beat sb up with sth
get beaten up/mugged
violently attack/assault/beat up sb
2. T, I
•At dawn the army attacked the town.
raid • • strike • • charge • • storm •
attack/strike/charge the enemy
attack/storm a/an house/building/embassy
soldiers/troops/police attack/raid/charge/storm sth
aircraft attack/raid/strike sth
3. T
•The studio audience repeatedly attacked the minister for her stance.
criticize • • condemn • • denounce • |formal censure • • berate • • castigate •
attack/criticize/condemn/denounce/censure/berate/castigate sb for sth
attack/criticize/condemn/denounce/censure a decision
attack/criticize/condemn/denounce/censure/berate/castigate sb publicly

Example Bank:
•He attacked her with a knife.
•She was brutally attacked by two men.
•The police have been strongly attacked for not taking immediate action.
•Bacteria act on sugars to form acids which attack the tooth surface.
•He attacked the idea that the company's practices were bad for the environment.
•It's alleged that the man savagely attacked the pensioner in his home.
•Let's attack one problem at a time.
•The disease attacks the central nervous system.
•The guerrillas usually attack at night.
•The studio audience repeatedly attacked the minister for her stance.
•The vines had been attacked by mildew.
•The virus attacks different cells in the body.
•They run a helpline for women who have been sexually attacked.

See also: ↑offense