different between declivity vs assault

English

Etymology

1610s, from French déclivité, from Latin declivitatem, d?cl?vit?s,from d?clivis (“a sloping downward”), from de (“down”) + cl?vus (“a slope”), from Proto-Indo-European *?leywo-, from Proto-Indo-European *?ley- (“to lean”) (English lean).

Pronunciation

• (UK) IPA^(key): /d??kl?v?ti/

Noun

declivity (plural declivities)

1. (geomorphology) The downward slope of a hill; the downward slope of a curve.
   • 1780, Theodore Augustine Mann, A Treatise on Rivers and Canals, Philosophical Transactions of the Royal Society of London, Volume 69: For the Year 1779, Part II, 582,

     The velocity of flowing waters is very far from being in proportion to the quantity of declivity in their bed: […] .

   • 1809, Alexander Cumming, Observations on the Very Important and Contrary Effects which Carriage Wheels, with Rims of Cylindrical, and of Conical Shape, Have on the Roads, page 30,

     […] whoever takes the trouble of observing how the water runs longitudinally in the ruts on a convex road, although the declivity down the sides be incomparably greater than in the direction which it is compelled to take in the ruts, will soon see the propriety of constructing roads so as to have the water rim length-ways upon them, instead of attempting to gain a declivity, by making it run from the middle to the sides.

   • 1812, John Ainslie, Comprehensive Treatise on Land Surveying, page 117,

     […] a line was measured down the hill on the right of 420, and the angle of declivity is 23°, which shortens the line 33 links; […] .

   • 1908 [Charles Griffin & Company], John Harvard Biles, The Design and Construction of Ships, Volume I: Calculations and Strength, 2009, Europ?ischer Hochschulverlag (Salzwasser-Verlag), page 216,

     The declivity of the keel blocks varies slightly with the size of the vessel. The larger the vessel, the less the declivity.

2. A downward bend in a path.
3. (entomology) An inward curve of the exoskeleton of an insect, such as between body segments; a segment of an insect's body where the exoskeleton curves inward.
   • 1979, Entomology Circular, Issue 200, Part 366, Division of Plant Industry, page number not shown,

     Males of all species have more developed armature of the elytral declivity than females (Figs. S, 6, 8, 9, 11-14).

   • 2000, Barry Bolton, The Ant Tribe Dacetini, Volume 65, Issue 2, American Entomological Institute, page 500,

     Propodeum in profile with upper lobe of declivity elongate and narrow, subspiniform, almost as long as lower lobe.

Related terms

• declivital; acclivity

Translations

See also

• decline

References

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