# assault

> English word · Noun · IPA /əˈsɒlt/ · frequency rank #3,349

## Definitions
1. A violent onset or attack with physical means, for example blows, weapons, etc.
2. A violent verbal attack, for example with insults, criticism, and the like
3. An attempt to commit battery: a violent attempt, or willful effort with force or violence, to do hurt to another, but without necessarily touching the person, such as by raising a fist in a threatening manner, or by striking at the person and missing.
4. The crime whose action is such an attempt.
5. An act that causes someone to apprehend imminent bodily harm (such as brandishing a weapon).
6. The tort whose action is such an act.
7. A non-competitive combat between two fencers.

## Etymology
From Middle English assaut, from Old French noun assaut, derived from the past participle of the verb assalir, from Late Latin assalīre, from Latin ad (“at, towards”) + salīre (“jump”). See also assail. Spelling Latinized around 1530 to add an l.

## Common misspellings (8)
`asasult`, `asault`, `assalut`, `assaullt`, `assaultt`, `assautl`, `assualt`, `sasault`

## Source
Compiled from Wiktionary via kaikki.org (CC BY-SA). Data vintage: 2026-05-06.
Canonical page: https://plainspell.com/en/word/assault