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assailable
as·sail
/
əˈseɪl
/
Show Spelled
[
uh
-
seyl
]
Show IPA
verb (used with object)
1.
to attack vigorously or violently; assault.
2.
to attack with arguments, criticism, ridicule, abuse, etc.:
to assail one's opponent with
slander
.
3.
to undertake with the purpose of mastering:
He assailed his studies with new determination.
4.
to impinge upon; make an impact on; beset:
His mind was assailed by conflicting arguments. The light assailed their eyes.
Origin:
1175–1225;
Middle English
asaylen
<
Old French
asalir
<
Late Latin
assalīre,
equivalent to
Latin
as-
as-
+
salīre
to leap, spring
Related forms
as·sail·a·ble,
adjective
as·sail·a·ble·ness,
noun
as·sail·er,
noun
as·sail·ment,
noun
un·as·sailed,
adjective
un·as·sail·ing,
adjective
Synonyms
1.
See
attack
.
2.
asperse, malign.
Dictionary.com Unabridged
Based on the Random House Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2013.
Cite This Source
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Assailable
00:10
Assailable
is always a great word to know.
So is
slumgullion
. Does it mean:
So is
zedonk
. Does it mean:
So is
quincunx
. Does it mean:
a screen or mat covered with a dark material for shielding a camera lens from excess light or glare.
a stew of meat, vegetables, potatoes, etc.
the offspring of a zebra and a donkey.
a gadget; dingus; thingumbob.
an arrangement of five objects, as trees, in a square or rectangle, one at each corner and one in the middle.
a scrap or morsel of food left at a meal.
LEARN MORE UNUSUAL WORDS WITH WORD DYNAMO...
Collins
World English Dictionary
assail
(əˈseɪl)
—
vb
1.
to attack violently; assault
2.
to criticize or ridicule vehemently, as in argument
3.
to beset or disturb:
his mind was assailed by doubts
4.
to encounter with the intention of mastering:
to assail a problem
;
to assail a difficult mountain ridge
[C13: from Old French
asalir,
from Vulgar Latin
assalīre
(unattested) to leap upon, from Latin
assilīre,
from
salīre
to leap]
as'sailable
—
adj
as'sailer
—
n
as'sailment
—
n
assail
(əˈseɪl)
—
vb
1.
to attack violently; assault
2.
to criticize or ridicule vehemently, as in argument
3.
to beset or disturb:
his mind was assailed by doubts
4.
to encounter with the intention of mastering:
to assail a problem
;
to assail a difficult mountain ridge
[C13: from Old French
asalir,
from Vulgar Latin
assalīre
(unattested) to leap upon, from Latin
assilīre,
from
salīre
to leap]
as'sailable
—
adj
as'sailer
—
n
as'sailment
—
n
Collins English Dictionary - Complete & Unabridged 10th Edition
2009 © William Collins Sons & Co. Ltd. 1979, 1986 © HarperCollins
Publishers 1998, 2000, 2003, 2005, 2006, 2007, 2009
Cite This Source
Etymonline
Word Origin & History
assail
early 13c., from O.Fr. assailir (12c.), from V.L. *adsalire "to leap at," from L. ad- "at" + salire "to leap" (see
salient
).
Online Etymology Dictionary, © 2010 Douglas Harper
Cite This Source
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