對人動手的暴力攻擊
最字面的一躍：真的撲到人身上。這也是法律上的用法，所以語氣比 attack 更正式、更嚴重。
assault (crime) · noun · C2
The crime of physically attacking someone.
攻擊 / 傷害（罪）
核心畫面
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.
可以想成一個人毫無預警地朝另一個人撲過去：沒有醞釀、沒有公平的開場，就是突然又猛烈地衝向目標。這個字後來的各種用法都…更多收起
可以想成一個人毫無預警地朝另一個人撲過去：沒有醞釀、沒有公平的開場，就是突然又猛烈地衝向目標。這個字後來的各種用法都留著這個形狀——某個東西又快又猛地朝另一個東西撲上去。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
Five branches
軍事上的猛攻
從一個人撲一個人，放大成一支部隊撲向一個據點：一樣是集中、突然、要把對方拿下。
military assault · noun · C2
A strong military attack made to take control of a place held by the enemy.
突擊 / 猛攻
言論上的猛烈抨擊
撲上去的不再是拳頭，是話：把對方的想法當成陣地，用言論一波一波打過去。
verbal attack · noun · C2
A fierce spoken or written attack on someone's ideas, plans, or values.
抨擊 / 猛烈批評
感官被撲個滿懷
這次撲過來的是氣味、聲音、熱氣：你只是走進門，它們就整片湧上來，讓你來不及擋。
assault the senses · verb · C2
If a sound, smell, or feeling assaults you, it hits your senses strongly in an unpleasant way.
撲面而來 / 猛烈衝擊（感官）
向難關發起衝擊
把一件困難的事當成一座敵方山頭：不是慢慢磨，是集中人力物力衝上去。這一支沒有敵意，只有拚勁。
attempt at something hard · noun · C2
An attempt to do or reach something very difficult, often needing great effort.
挑戰 / 攻頂
原始詞典資料9 筆記錄
以下是外部詞典記錄的用法，原文照列，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.
資料來源：英文維基詞典 English Wiktionary（CC BY-SA 4.0）。 原文照列，未經改寫。