sali-, salt-, -sili-, sult-, -salta-

1. To attack vigorously or violently: "The troops are assailing the terrorists."

"It is difficult to believe that Mike could be assailed by so many bad things; he lost his job, his wife became very ill, and the roof of his house was damaged by a storm that caused severe leaks when it started to rain."

2. To attack with arguments, criticism, ridicule, to abuse, etc.: "As a politician, Thomas was always ready to assail his opponent with slander."
3. To undertake a task with the purpose of mastering it: "Joanne assailed her university studies with new determination."
4. To impinge upon; to make an impact on; to beset: "The minds of the audience were assailed by all of the conflicting arguments presented by the speakers."

Vulnerability to forceful attack or susceptibility to injury or an attack: "Too many assailabilities are committed by attackers or muggers in cities; especially, at night."

That which cannot be defended or which is incapable of being defended: "No matter how much the military tried to set up a proper defense, their assailable positions could not protect them from their enemies."

1. Someone who violently attacks somebody else, usually causing physical injury: "The assailant was identified for the police by the man he had beaten."
2. People who strike, attack, or invade with violence to others: "The assailant was charged with burglary when he was caught leaving the house with the property of the people who lived there after he had forced them to open their safe and then tied them up."

Invaded or attacked with violence: "So many assailed communities are seen more and more in TV news broadcasts."

"Members of the assailed family were killed or seriously wounded by the bomb that was thrown into their house."

1. A physical or criminal attack on a person or people; literally, leaping on: "To the horror of the audience and viewers on TV, the lion assaulted the lion tamer in the middle of the circus act."

"The robber was charged by the police with robbery and assault with a deadly weapon."

2. A military attack or onslaught: "The military forces were involved in assaults that lasted for several years."

A legal term for a crime of threatening someone together with the act of making physical contact with him or her: "When Mario and Leroy got into an argument in the store, Mario said he would knock Leroy down and spit on him and then he actually kicked Leroy in the left knee which caused him to fall down on the floor and then Mario was charged with assault and battery by the police when he was arrested."

1. To make a physical attack on a place or a person: The criminal was convicted of assaulting and robbing Warren in the parking lot of the store."

"Bernice accused Lewis of sexually assaulting her."

2. To use violent force or to bombard someone or the senses with something undesirable or unpleasant: "The ears of the people were assaulted by the loud music from the neighbor's apartment."
3. To carry out a military offensive against an enemy using weapons: "The unit of special forces parachuted into the camp and assaulted the gang and rescued the hostages that were kidnapped by the criminals."

Someone who physically or verbally attacks other people or places: "The assalter in the audience strongly criticized the politician's tax policies."

"The people in the neighborhood were relieved to hear that the assaulter of their houses was finally arrested by the police."

1. Tending or likely to commit an attack: "The psychologists determined that assaultive people often had abusive parents."
2. Someone who is extremely aggressive or forcefully assertive: "The player had a loud and assaultive style of playing that sometimes made other players cautious."

1. In a manner that is without a specific method; to do something loosely: "The politician was going from one subject to another in a desultorily halfhearted way."
2. A lack of a definite plan or regularity or purpose; jumping from one thing to another: "The teacher's mind was full of desultorily unfocused thoughts regarding what to do with her classes next semester."
3. That which occurs randomly or occasionally: "As a result of the poor economy, the fashionable clothing store had desultorily interested customers."

Unconnectedness; a passing from one thing to another without any organization or method: "The desultoriness of the project committee resulted in more chaos than clarifications of their objectives."

1. Aimlessly passing from one thing to another: "Mildred was talking in a desultory manner."
2. Happening in a random, disorganized, or unmethodical way: "The candidate had a desultory conference with the reporters."

"People were casually strolling in the park during the pleasant day in a desultory way."

3. Marked by a lack of a definite plan, regularity, or purpose; jumping from one thing to another: "When John was asked what his speech would be about, he could only come up with desultory ideas."

"Daniel made a desultory effort to improve his tennis skills by playing for three hours on one day and then not playing again for several days."

4. Unconcerned and without any particular arrangement: "Yvonne scolded her son for having his clothes thrown around on his bed in a desultory manner."

A seed pod that bursts or flies apart: "There are some plants that throw their seeds out around their environment with a method called dissiliencies which take place when the seeds suddenly jump out of pods as if they were exploding."