different between beset vs assault

English

Etymology

From Middle English besetten, bisetten, from Old English besettan (“to beset; set beside; set near; appoint; place; own; possess”), from Proto-Germanic *bisatjan? (“to set near; set around”), equivalent to be- +? set. Cognate with Saterland Frisian besätte (“to occupy”), West Frisian besette (“to occupy”), Dutch bezetten (“to sit in; occupy; fill”), German Low German besetten (“to occupy”), German besetzen (“to seize; occupy; garrison”), Danish besætte (“to occupy; obsess”), Swedish besätta (“to fill; occupy; beset”).

Pronunciation

• IPA^(key): /b??s?t/
• Rhymes: -?t

Verb

beset (third-person singular simple present besets, present participle besetting, simple past and past participle beset)

1. (transitive) To surround or hem in.
2. (transitive, sometimes figuratively) To attack or assail, especially from all sides.

   • “Nay, for matter o’ that, he never doth any mischief,” said the woman; “but to be sure it is necessary he should keep some arms for his own safety; for his house hath been beset more than once; and it is not many nights ago that we thought we heard thieves about it […]

3. (transitive) To decorate something with jewels etc.
4. (nautical) Of a ship, to get trapped by ice.

Derived terms

• besetting

Translations

Anagrams

• Beets, Beste, beest, beets, tsebe

Afrikaans

Etymology

From Dutch bezetten, from Middle Dutch besetten, from Old Dutch *bisetten, from Proto-Germanic *bisatjan?.

Pronunciation

• IPA^(key): /b??s?t/
• Rhymes: -?t

Verb

beset (present beset, present participle besettende, past participle beset)

1. (transitive) to occupy, to fill
2. (transitive, military) to occupy militarily

Derived terms

• besetting

English

Etymology

From Middle English assaut, from Old French noun assaut, from the verb asaillir, from Latin assili?, from ad (“towards”) + sali? (“to jump”). See also assail. Spelling Latinized around 1530 to add an l.

Pronunciation

• IPA^(key): /??s??lt/
• (regional, California) IPA^(key): /??s?lt/

Noun

assault (countable and uncountable, plural assaults)

1. A violent onset or attack with physical means, for example blows, weapons, etc.
   • 1856-1858, William H. Prescott, History of the Reign of Philip II

     The Spanish general prepared to renew the assault.

   • 1814, William Wordsworth, The Excursion, Book 5

     Unshaken bears the assault / Of their most dreaded foe, the strong southwest.

2. A violent onset or attack with moral weapons, for example words, arguments, appeals, and the like

3. (criminal law) An attempt to commit battery: a violent attempt, or willful effort with force or violence, to do hurt to another, but without necessarily touching his person, as by lifting a fist in a threatening manner, or by striking at him and missing him.
4. (singular only, law) The crime whose action is such an attempt.
5. (tort law) An act that causes someone to apprehend imminent bodily harm.
6. (singular only, law) The tort whose action is such an act.
7. (fencing) A non-competitive combat between two fencers.

Synonyms

• onfall, onrush

Coordinate terms

• battery

Derived terms

Translations

Verb

assault (third-person singular simple present assaults, present participle assaulting, simple past and past participle assaulted)

1. (transitive) 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. (transitive) To threaten or harass. (Can we add an example for this sense?)

Translations

Middle French

Noun

assault m (plural assauls)

1. (chiefly military) assault; attack