真的打上去
這一族就是核心畫面本身：人或自然力量朝著一個目標撲過去。其他用法都是把這個動作換了攻擊者和武器。
verb · C1
To attack someone or something with force. The attacker can be people going at a place, or something like waves, wind or storms hitting it hard.
猛烈攻擊
核心畫面
Something comes at you from outside and hits hard, and then comes again. Soldiers running at a wall; winter going at a harbour, one after another, all night. The word keeps that shape even when nothing solid is moving. A smell can arrive that way, all at once and too strong to shut out. So can a loud noise. So can your own doubts, which feel as if they come from somewhere else and land on you. So can a page of criticism. What stays constant is the direction and the force: it comes towards a target, it lands hard, and it usually does not stop after one go.
assail 的畫面可以想成：有東西從外面朝你撲過來，用力打上去，然後再來一次。士兵衝向城牆；冬天的浪整晚一波一波打…更多收起
assail 的畫面可以想成：有東西從外面朝你撲過來，用力打上去，然後再來一次。士兵衝向城牆；冬天的浪整晚一波一波打在堤防上。就算撲過來的東西沒有形體，這個畫面還是在。一股臭味可以這樣撲上來，關都關不掉。很吵的聲音也可以。心裡的疑慮同樣可以，它感覺像是從外面壓到你身上的。一整版的批評也是。不變的是方向和力道：朝著一個目標來、打得很重、而且通常不只一下。From the word’s history
Assail comes through Old French assaillir from Latin ad, meaning towards, plus salire, meaning to jump. The literal picture is jumping at something. That is the same root that gives English assault.
assail 經由古法文 assaillir，來自拉丁文 ad（朝向）加 salīre（跳），字面上就是「朝著某個東西跳過去」（本包提供的 Wiktionary 詞源）。英文的 assault 也是同一個源頭。這條線索正好對上今天的用法：不管跳過來的是人、是味道、還是一個念頭，方向都是朝著目標，而且落下來很重。
Wiktionary entry for assail, etymology section supplied in this packet: from Middle English assailen, from Old French assaillir, from Late Latin assalire, from Latin ad (at, towards) + salire (jump).
Three branches
用話攻上去
攻擊者換成人說的話，目標換成一個人、一個計畫或一個說法。衝過去的方向和力道完全沒變，只是武器變成語言。
verb · C1
To criticize a person, a plan or an idea publicly and very strongly.
抨擊；嚴厲批評
感官和念頭撲上來
攻擊者變成沒有形體的東西，被攻擊的變成你這個人。這時候英文幾乎都用被動 be assailed by，因為重點在於你只能承受。
verb · C2
If a strong smell or a loud sound assails you, it hits your nose or your ears suddenly and is too strong to ignore.
（氣味、聲音）撲鼻、刺耳而來