maintain or assert; "He contended that Communism had no future"
be engaged in a fight; carry on a fight; "the tribesmen fought each other"; "Siblings are always fighting"; "Militant groups are contending for control of the country"
not inclined to society or companionship; "an unsociable nature...shy and reserved"; "generally unsociable except with intimate friends"; "unsociable behavior"; "an unsociable neighborhood"
very bad in degree or extent; "a severe worldwide depression"; "the house suffered severe damage"
unsparing and uncompromising in discipline or judgment; "a parent severe to the pitch of hostility"- H.G.Wells; "a hefty six-footer with a rather severe mien"; "a strict disciplinarian"; "a Spartan upbringing"
intensely or extremely bad or unpleasant in degree or quality; "severe pain"; "a severe case of flu"; "a terrible cough"; "under wicked fire from the enemy's guns"; "a wicked cough"
a decisive manner of beginning a musical tone or phrase
an offensive move in a sport or game; "they won the game with a 10-hit attack in the 9th inning"
the act of attacking; "attacks on women increased last year"; "they made an attempt on his life"
(military) an offensive against an enemy (using weapons); "the attack began at dawn"
strong criticism; "he published an unexpected attack on my work"
the onset of a corrosive or destructive process (as by a chemical agent); "the film was sensitive to attack by acids"; "open to attack by the elements"
a sudden occurrence of an uncontrollable condition; "an attack of diarrhea"
begin to injure; "The cancer cells are attacking his liver"; "Rust is attacking the metal"
set to work upon; turn one's energies vigorously to a task; "I attacked the problem as soon as I got out of bed"
attack in speech or writing; "The editors of the left-leaning paper attacked the new House Speaker"
take the initiative and go on the offensive; "The Serbs attacked the village at night"; "The visiting team started to attack"
launch an attack or assault on; begin hostilities or start warfare with; "Hitler attacked Poland on September 1, 1939 and started World War II"; "Serbian forces assailed Bosnian towns all week"