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A long movable shed used by besiegers in ancient times in attacking the walls of a fortified town.

A taking by surprise; an unexpected onset or attack. Carew.

. (a) Not constantly; not regularly; now and then; occasionally. (b) (Naut.) On different tacks, now toward, and now away from, the land. -- To be off. (a) To depart; to escape; as, he was off without a moment's warning. (b) To be abandoned, as an agreement or purpose; as, the bet was declared to be off. [Colloq.] --…

To strike against; to attack; to assail. [Obs.] Sir P. Sidney.

Assault; attack. [Obs.] Chaucer.

Making the first attack; assailant; aggressive; hence, used in attacking; -- opposed to defensive; as, an offensive war; offensive weapons. League offensive and defensive, a leaque that requires all the parties to it to make war together against any foe, and to defend one another if attacked.

in opposition to; to manifest in an offensive way; to threaten; as, to offer violence, attack, etc.

A rushing or setting upon; an attack; an assault; a storming; especially, the assault of an army. Milton. The onset and retire Of both your armies. Shak. Who on that day the word of onset gave. Wordsworth.

An attack; an onset; esp., a furious or murderous attack or assault. By storm and onslaught to proceed. Hudibras.

an open library, museum, court, or other assembly; liable to the approach, trespass, or attack of any one; unprotected; exposed. If Demetrius . . . have a matter against any man, the law is open and there are deputies. Acts xix. 33. The service that I truly did his life, Hath left me open to all injuries. Shak.…

opposes in a disputation, argument, or other verbal controversy; specifically, one who attacks some theirs or proposition, in distinction from the respondent, or defendant, who maintains it. How becomingly does Philopolis exercise his office, and seasonably commit the opponent with the respondent, like a long-practice…

ey . . . vindicate themselves in terms no less opprobrious than those by which they are attacked. Addison.

To fight against; to attack; to be in conflict with; to oppose; to resist. They said the manner of their impeachment they could not but conceive did oppugn the rights of Parliament. Clarendon.

One who opposes or attacks; that which opposes. Selden.

iron, and suspended, each by a separate rope, over a gateway, to be let down in case of attack.

a burning taste, and gives off a vapor, which is a powerful irritant poison, violently attacking the eyes, and emitting a strong chlorinelike odor. Formerly improperly called osmic acid.

To gain upon in a chase; to overtake. To overhaul a tackle, to pull on the leading parts so as to separate the blocks. -- To overhaul running rigging, to keep it clear, and see that no hitch occurs.

A paper containing (usually) a definite quantity; as, a paper of pins, tacks, opium, etc.

efore a besieged fortress, by the besieging force, as a cover for troops supporting the attacking batteries. They are roughly parallel to the line of outer defenses of the fortress.

The fit, attack, or exacerbation, of a disease that occurs at intervals, or has decided remissions or intermissions. Arbuthnot.