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Webster's New World College Dictionary » assailer
assailer
Variant of assail
assail
definition
as·sail (ə sāl′)
transitive verb
- to attack physically and violently; assault
- to attack with arguments, questions, doubts, etc.
- to begin working on (a task, problem, etc.) with vigor and determination
- to have a forceful effect on a loud noise assailed her ears
Etymology: ME assailen < OFr asaillir < VL assalire, for L assilire, to leap on < ad-, to + salire, to leap: see salient
Related Forms:
- assailable as·sail′·able adjective
- assailer as·sail′er noun
- assailment as·sail′·ment noun
Webster's New World College Dictionary Copyright © 2009 by Wiley Publishing, Inc., Cleveland, Ohio.
Used by arrangement with John Wiley & Sons, Inc.
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