I.
noun
1 violence against sb
ADJECTIVE
▪ brutal , frenzied , horrific , savage , serious , vicious , violent
▪ unprovoked
▪
Stephen had died in an unprovoked racist ~.
▪ homophobic , racist
▪ arson , gun , knife
▪
an increase in knife ~s on police officers
▪ sexual
… OF ATTACKS
▪ series , spate , wave
VERB + ATTACK
▪ carry out
▪
Two teenagers carried out a frenzied ~ on a taxi driver.
▪ be subjected to
▪
He was subjected to a violent ~.
▪ block , dodge
ATTACK + VERB
▪ happen , occur , take place
▪
Where did the ~ happen?
PREPOSITION
▪ ~ against
▪
vicious ~s against senior citizens
▪ ~ by
▪
an ~ by an armed gang
▪ ~ on
▪
an ~ on a bus driver
PHRASES
▪ a victim of an ~
2 act of violence in war
ADJECTIVE
▪ all-out , full-scale , major
▪ sustained
▪ deadly , devastating
▪ horrific
▪ sneak , surprise
▪
the sneak ~ on Pearl Harbor
▪ retaliatory
▪ pre-emptive
▪
The administration may launch a pre-emptive ~ against terrorist bases.
▪ mock
▪ direct , flank , frontal
▪ enemy , guerrilla , insurgent , terror , terrorist
▪ suicide
▪ air , bomb , missile , mortar , nuclear , rocket
▪ biological , chemical
… OF ATTACKS
▪ series
▪
The border towns have suffered a series of ~s.
VERB + ATTACK
▪ carry out , launch , lead , make , mount , spearhead
▪
The soldiers mounted an all-out ~ on the town.
▪ come under , suffer
▪
They came under sustained ~ from the air.
▪ repel , repulse , resist
▪ prevent , stop
▪ survive , withstand
▪
Most of the population would stand little chance of surviving a nuclear ~.
▪ press ( esp. AmE ), press home ( esp. BrE ), renew
▪
Bombers renewed their ~, causing severe damage to bridges.
▪ plan
ATTACK + VERB
▪ come , happen , occur , take place
▪
The ~ took place under cover of darkness.
▪ continue
▪ fail , succeed
PREPOSITION
▪ under ~
▪
The province has been under ~ from the rebels.
▪ ~ against
▪
~s against civilians
▪ ~ by
▪
an ~ by rebel forces
▪ ~ on
▪
an ~ on enemy positions
3 criticism
ADJECTIVE
▪ bitter , blistering , devastating , fierce , outspoken ( BrE ), savage , scathing , scurrilous , stinging , vigorous
▪ personal
▪
It was seen as a personal ~ on the president.
▪ concerted
▪ direct
▪ verbal
VERB + ATTACK
▪ deliver , go on the , launch , make , mount , unleash
▪
Doctors have gone on the ~, accusing the government of incompetence.
▪ come under , provoke
▪
All politicians come under ~ for their views.
▪
The government's decision has provoked an ~ from leaders of the health service.
PREPOSITION
▪ ~ on , ~ upon
▪
an ~ on my integrity
PHRASES
▪ a/the line of ~
▪
The first line of ~ is often name-calling.
▪ open to ~
▪
He has laid himself wide open to ~.
4 sudden illness
ADJECTIVE
▪ acute , sudden
▪ bad , nasty , severe
▪ fatal
▪ mild , slight
▪ recurrent
▪ asthma , heart , panic
▪
a fatal heart ~
VERB + ATTACK
▪ experience , have , suffer , suffer from
▪
He suffers from ~s of anxiety.
▪ bring on , cause , trigger
▪
a heart ~ brought on by stress
ATTACK + VERB
▪ happen , occur , take place
PREPOSITION
▪ ~ of
▪
a sudden ~ of nerves
II.
verb
1 use violence
ADVERB
▪ brutally , savagely , viciously , violently
▪
They were brutally ~ed by two men.
▪ physically
▪ repeatedly
PREPOSITION
▪ with
▪
He ~ed her with a knife.
2 criticize
ADVERB
▪ fiercely , savagely , strongly , vigorously
▪ repeatedly
▪ directly
PREPOSITION
▪ for
▪
The police have been strongly ~ed for not taking immediate action.
Attack is used with these nouns as the subject: ↑ aircraft , ↑ army , ↑ article , ↑ critic , ↑ demonstrator , ↑ dog , ↑ enemy , ↑ fanatic , ↑ lion , ↑ mob , ↑ monster , ↑ rapist , ↑ rebel , ↑ report , ↑ shark , ↑ tank , ↑ troops , ↑ vandal , ↑ virus
Attack is used with these nouns as the object: ↑ bacteria , ↑ barracks , ↑ base , ↑ camp , ↑ castle , ↑ cell , ↑ civilian , ↑ convoy , ↑ corruption , ↑ country , ↑ embassy , ↑ enemy , ↑ flank , ↑ fort , ↑ fortress , ↑ neighbour , ↑ opponent , ↑ patrol , ↑ problem , ↑ rebel , ↑ ship , ↑ target , ↑ vessel