You can picture someone springing at another person without warning — no build-up, no fair start, just a sudden violent rush at a target. Everything the word does later keeps that shape: something launches itself hard and fast at something else.
From the word’s history
From Old French assaut, from Vulgar Latin adsaltus: ad 'to' + saltus 'a leap' (from salire 'to leap, spring'). Literally 'a leap at' someone — which is why the word still fits a sudden rush at a person, a hill, or your senses.
來自古法語 assaut，源頭是通俗拉丁文 adsaltus：ad「朝向」＋ saltus「一躍」（動詞 salire「跳、猛衝」）。字面就是「朝某人一躍而上」。知道這個畫面，後面幾種用法就順了：撲向一個人、撲向一座山頭、撲向你的鼻子，都是同一個「猛地躍過去」。
Online Etymology Dictionary, https://www.etymonline.com/word/assault
登入就可以看每一支怎麼連回核心畫面。
原始詞典資料9 筆記錄
以下是外部詞典記錄的用法，摘錄並精簡格式，我們還沒有寫成教學內容。上面的說明才是我們自己寫的；有些用法可能上面已經講過了。
assaultnoun/əˈsɒlt/
- 1
A violent onset or attack with physical means, for example blows, weapons, etc.
- The army made an assault on the enemy.
- The Spanish general prepared to renew the assault.
- 2
A violent verbal attack, for example with insults, criticism, and the like
- She launched a written assault on the opposition party.
- 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
lawThe crime whose action is such an attempt.
- 5
An act that causes someone to apprehend imminent bodily harm (such as brandishing a weapon).
- 6
lawThe tort whose action is such an act.
- 7
fencinggovernmenthobbiesA non-competitive combat between two fencers.
assaultverb/əˈsɒlt/
- 1
To attack, physically or figuratively; to assail.
- Tom was accused of assaulting another man outside a nightclub.
- Loud music assaulted our ears as we entered the building.
- 2
To threaten or harass.
摘錄自 英文維基詞典 English Wiktionary，已精簡格式；依 CC BY-SA 4.0 授權使用，改動後的內容同樣以此授權提供。