assail etymology

Etymology

• Middle English: assailen, from Old French asaillir, assaillir, from Late Latin assalire, from Latin ad- (towards) + salire (leap).

Meaning

• To attack vigorously in words or actions
• To criticize or denounce strongly

Origin

The word "assail" originated in the late Latin verb assalire, which means "to leap towards." This verb was formed from the Latin prefix ad- ("towards") and the verb salire ("to leap"). The word "assail" entered the English language in the Middle Ages, via Old French.

Related Words

• Assault
• Battery
• Attack
• Denounce
• Criticize
• Inveigh

assail relate terms

• salient

  Etymology Latin saliēns present participle of salīre to leap jump Indo European

• assailant

  Etymology The word assailant is derived from the Old French word assaillir which mea

• assail

  Etymology Middle English assailen from Old French asaillir assaillir from Late Latin

• attack

  Etymology Middle English ataken from Old French atachier probably from Old High Germ

• round

  Etymology Origin of the Word The word round comes from the Old English word rund w

• revile

  Etymology The word revile comes from the Old French word revilir which in turn come

• infest

  Infest Etymology Late Middle English in the sense attack violently from Latin

• attempt

  Etymology Attempt comes from the Middle English word attempten which is derived from

• rush

  Etymology The word rush has two distinct etymological origins Germanic origin Poss

• fight

  Etymology From Middle English fighten fighte from Old English feohtan to fight f

• shout

  Etymology Old English scēotan to dart shoot expel Proto Germanic skeutaną Pro