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To assail with unfriendly speech or writing; to begin a controversy with; to attempt to overthrow or bring into disrepute, by criticism or satire; to censure; as, to attack a man, or his opinions, in a pamphlet.

An attempt; an assault. [Obs.] Bacon.

game, commonly played round stacks of barley, or other grain, in which some of the party attempt to catch others who run from a goal.

The act of rending, or attempting to rend, heavy masses of rock, earth, etc., by the explosion of gunpowder, dynamite, etc.; also, the charge used for this purpose. "Large blasts are often used." Tomlinson.

ing a ship, whether with a hostile or a friendly purpose. Both slain at one time, as they attempted the boarding of a frigate. Sir F. Drake.

d learned the art to bob For anything but eels. Saxe. To bob at an apple, cherry, etc. to attempt to bite or seize with the mouth an apple, cherry, or other round fruit, while it is swinging from a string or floating in a tug of water.

s heads and bogies." J. H. Newman. [Written also bogey.] There are plenty of such foolish attempts at playing bogy in the history of savages. C. Kingsley.

A conflict; contest; attempt; trial; a set-to at anything; as, a fencing bout; a drinking bout. The gentleman will, for his honor's sake, have one bout with you; he can not by the duello avoid it. Shak.

ent or corrupt the action of a person in a position of trust, by some gift or promise. An attempt to bribe, though unsuccessful, has been holden to be criminal, and the offender may be indicted. Bouvier. The bard may supplicate, but cannot bribe. Goldsmith.

with the lowly is wisdom. Prov. xi. 2. All but. See under All. -- But and if, but if; an attempt on the part of King James's translators of the Bible to express the conjunctive and adversative force of the Greek But and if that servant say in his heart, My lord delayeth his coming; . . . the lord of that servant will…

fecting; to communicate. Does the sedition catch from man to man Addison. To catch at, to attempt to seize; to be egger to get or use. "[To] catch at all opportunities of subverting the state." Addison. -- To catch up with, to come up with; to overtake.

One of an ancient religious sect, so called fron Cerinthus, a Jew, who attempted to unite the doctrines of Christ with the opinions of the Jews and Gnostics. Hook.

To question or demand the countersign from (one who attempts to pass the lines); as, the sentinel challenged us, with "Who comes there"

To make a stop; to pause; -- with at. The mind, once jaded by an attempt above its power, either is disabled for the future, or else checks at any vigorous undertaking ever after. Locke.

nese Chippendale, marked by latticework and pagodalike pediments; and Gothic Chippendale, attempting to adapt medieval details. The forms, as of the cabriole and chairbacks, often resemble Queen Anne. In chairs, the seat is widened at the front, and the back toward the top widened and bent backward, except in Chinese C…

To do something suddenly with an unexpected motion; to catch or attempt to seize. Out of greediness to get both, he chops at the shadow, and loses the substance. L'Estrange.

wind), and by cutting the cable as soon as she pays off on the other tack. Clubhauling is attempted only in an exigency.

same conclusion or result as something else; additional; as, collateral evidence. Yet the attempt may give Collateral interest to this homely tale. Wordsworth.

evolutionary government, modeled on the commune of 1792, which the communists, so called, attempted to establish in 1871.

One who attempts to bring persons or parties to terms of agreement, or to accomplish, ends by compromises. "Compounder in politics." Burke.