Emily Dickinson Lexicon

AT-TACK', v.t. [Fr. attaquer; Arm. attacqi; It. attaccare, to fasten, to engage in battle; attacco, a sticking; Sp. atacar, to assault, to fasten or make close, to cram; Port. atacar, to attack, to seize, to fasten; Heb. and Ch. תקע, to thrust, to drive, to strike. It seems to be allied to attach; but the latter verb agrees better with the Eth. ጠወቀ tok, took, to press, whence አጥወቀ, atook, to press, to make close; and the Ch. טח, to accuse, to unite. Class Dg.]

1. To assault; to fall upon with force; to assail, as with force and arms. It is the appropriate word for the commencing act of hostility between armies and navies.
2. To fall upon, with unfriendly words or writing; to begin a controversy with; to attempt to overthrow or bring into disrepute, by satire, calumny or criticism; as, to attack a man or his opinions in a pamphlet.