attacks - Master This Word
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attacks Word Meanings
- a person who initiates an aggressive action
- someone who strikes or harms another
- a player who tries to score in a game
attacks Example Sentences
Example sentences are the start of understanding. Don't rush to memorize. First feel how the word works in a sentence.
attacks Phonetic & Pronunciation
UK
/əˈtæk/
US
/əˈtæk/
attacks Word Etymology
Attack: at- (to, toward) + tack (to touch, fasten). Originated from Latin 'attaccare' → Old French 'ataquer' → English 'attack'. Visualize a knight charging bravely towards an enemy, his sword raised high, embodying the act of 'attacking'.
Note 1: These definitions and etymologies are not standard dictionary definitions, but extended explanations provided to help with memorization and understanding of the actual application of words. Through this background information, we strive to make words more vivid and easier to understand, and help you remember their meanings in real life.
Note 2: LexiTalk designs the learning flow around the linguistics principle of “Comprehensible Input.” When learners encounter material that is slightly above their level but still understandable from context, the brain naturally absorbs the language. That’s why we keep every word inside authentic contexts, using examples and associations to help you understand it and use it flexibly.
Read the FAQ explanation of Comprehensible InputEnglish Brain Route
I plant my feet, take a quick breath, and move toward the space opening in front of me. I set my shoulders, push off the ground, and tilt into the moment as if to land a clean, sudden strike. The effort stays in my arms and legs, a steady pull and push that makes my eyes narrow and my hands ready. In a game, that push becomes an attack—the instant you press forward to gain ground and make something happen.
Real Context
In everyday English, attack as a noun centers on action or intent: someone who initiates an aggressive action, whether in sports, combat, or a heated debate. It also refers to a strategic move in games, where an “attack” aims to score or overwhelm an opponent. In more serious contexts, an attack can describe a violent assault or an onslaught on a position or idea. Common collocations include launch an attack, make an attack, counterattack, and attack plan. Learners often confuse the noun form with the verb, and may misplace stress when used as a verb (ə-TACK) vs a noun (ˈat-ˌtack).
Usage Reminders
- - Pay attention to collocations: attack on, attack against, counterattack.
- - Distinguish noun vs verb: 'an attack' (noun) vs 'to attack' (verb).
- - Learn common phrases: 'launch an attack', 'attack plan', 'attack a goal'.
- - Watch for non-physical uses: attack ideas, attack of nerves.
- - Be mindful of register: formal writing uses precise terms like assault or offensive.
Common Misconceptions
- Attack always means violence; it cannot refer to sports or ideas.
- The noun always takes a stress on the first syllable; the verb never changes stress.
- Attack and assault are interchangeable in all contexts.
- Attack means merely to begin something; it cannot describe a defensive move.
- You should always use attack with a physical agent, never with abstract targets.
Thinking Differences
In English, attack is flexible: it can describe physical aggression, strategic moves in sports, or metaphorical assaults on ideas. Learners often treat it as a single, violent action and miss its broad sport and metaphorical senses, or misplace stress with the noun vs verb forms.
Learning Tips
- Learn 6 key collocations: launch an attack, carry out an attack, counterattack, attack a goal, attack on/against, attack plan.
- Remember noun vs verb: 'an attack' vs 'to attack' with different stress patterns.
- Differentiate physical attack from metaphorical attacks on ideas.
- Be aware of sport-specific uses: offensive moves and strategies.
- Practice with contexts: sports, crime, debate, medical panic (panic attack).
- Notice common phrasings like 'air attack' or 'surprise attack'.
Related Listening
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