{
    "term": "attack",
    "partOfSpeech": "noun",
    "ox3000": true,
    "cefr": "a2",
    "definitions": [
        {
            "senseNumber": 1,
            "definition": "an act of using violence to try to hurt or kill somebody",
            "sensetop": "attack on/upon somebody/somethingattack against somebodyattack by somebody/something",
            "cefr": "a2",
            "ox3000": true,
            "examples": [
                {
                    "text": "Five people were killed in the attacks that took place last night."
                },
                {
                    "text": "the recent series of deadly **terrorist attacks** on European cities",
                    "contextForm": "attack on/upon somebody/something"
                },
                {
                    "text": "a violent attack upon a police officer"
                },
                {
                    "text": "vicious attacks against defenceless people",
                    "contextForm": "attack against somebody"
                },
                {
                    "text": "A child is recovering in hospital after a serious attack by a stray dog.",
                    "contextForm": "attack by somebody/something"
                },
                {
                    "text": "He was subjected to a violent attack."
                },
                {
                    "text": "Two teenagers carried out a frenzied attack on a local shopkeeper."
                },
                {
                    "text": "Where did the attack happen?"
                },
                {
                    "text": "an attack by an armed gang"
                },
                {
                    "text": "an increase in knife attacks on police officers"
                }
            ],
            "topics": ["Crime and punishment"],
            "collocations": {
                "adjective": ["brutal", "frenzied", "horrific"],
                "… of attacks": ["series", "spate", "wave"],
                "verb + attack": ["carry out", "be subjected to", "block"],
                "attack + verb": ["happen", "occur", "take place"],
                "preposition": ["attack against", "attack by", "attack on"],
                "phrases": ["a victim of an attack"]
            }
        },
        {
            "senseNumber": 2,
            "definition": "an act of trying to kill or injure the enemy in war, using weapons such as guns and bombs",
            "sensetop": "attack on somebody/somethingattack against somebody/somethingunder attack (from somebody/something)",
            "cefr": "a2",
            "ox3000": true,
            "examples": [
                {
                    "text": "a **bomb/rocket/missile attack**"
                },
                {
                    "text": "Rebel forces **launched an attack** on civilian targets.",
                    "contextForm": "attack on somebody/something"
                },
                {
                    "text": "Commanders attempted to prevent an attack against the city.",
                    "contextForm": "attack against somebody/something"
                },
                {
                    "text": "The patrol **came under attack** from all sides.",
                    "contextForm": "under attack (from somebody/something)"
                },
                {
                    "text": "Bombers pressed home their attack, causing severe damage to harbour installations."
                },
                {
                    "text": "Most of the population would stand little chance of surviving a nuclear attack."
                },
                {
                    "text": "The administration may launch a pre-emptive attack against terrorist bases."
                },
                {
                    "text": "The attack took place under cover of darkness."
                },
                {
                    "text": "The border towns have suffered a series of attacks."
                },
                {
                    "text": "The soldiers mounted an all-out attack on the town."
                },
                {
                    "text": "They came under sustained attack from the air."
                },
                {
                    "text": "an attack on enemy positions"
                }
            ],
            "topics": ["War and conflict"],
            "collocations": {
                "adjective": ["all-out", "full-scale", "major"],
                "… of attacks": ["series"],
                "verb + attack": ["carry out", "launch", "lead"],
                "attack + verb": ["come", "happen", "occur"],
                "preposition": ["under attack", "attack against", "attack by"]
            }
        },
        {
            "senseNumber": 3,
            "definition": "a sudden, short period of illness, usually severe",
            "sensetop": "attack of something",
            "cefr": "b1",
            "ox3000": true,
            "examples": [
                {
                    "text": "to **suffer an** asthma **attack**"
                },
                {
                    "text": "an attack of fever",
                    "contextForm": "attack of something"
                }
            ],
            "topics": ["Health problems"],
            "collocations": {
                "adjective": ["acute", "sudden", "bad"],
                "verb + attack": ["experience", "have", "suffer"],
                "attack + verb": ["happen", "occur", "take place"],
                "preposition": ["attack of"]
            }
        },
        {
            "senseNumber": 4,
            "definition": "a sudden period of feeling an emotion such as fear",
            "sensetop": "attack of something",
            "labels": "(figurative)(figurative)",
            "cefr": "b2",
            "ox3000": true,
            "examples": [
                {
                    "text": "a **panic attack**"
                },
                {
                    "text": "an attack of nerves",
                    "contextForm": "attack of something"
                },
                {
                    "text": "He suffers from attacks of anxiety."
                },
                {
                    "text": "an attack of conscience *(= a guilty feeling about something you have done or are planning to do)*"
                },
                {
                    "text": "an attack of the giggles"
                }
            ],
            "collocations": {
                "adjective": ["acute", "sudden", "bad"],
                "verb + attack": ["experience", "have", "suffer"],
                "attack + verb": ["happen", "occur", "take place"],
                "preposition": ["attack of"]
            }
        },
        {
            "senseNumber": 5,
            "definition": "strong criticism of somebody/something in speech or in writing",
            "sensetop": "attack on somebody/somethingunder attack (from somebody/something) (for something/for doing something)",
            "cefr": "b2",
            "ox3000": true,
            "examples": [
                {
                    "text": "He found himself the **victim of an** unprovoked **attack** by the media."
                },
                {
                    "text": "She has **laid herself **wide **open to attack**."
                },
                {
                    "text": "It was seen as a **personal attack** on the president.",
                    "contextForm": "attack on somebody/something"
                },
                {
                    "text": "The school has **come under attack** for failing to encourage bright students.",
                    "contextForm": "under attack (from somebody/something) (for something/for doing something)"
                },
                {
                    "text": "Doctors have **gone on the attack**, accusing the government of incompetence."
                },
                {
                    "text": "The government's decision has provoked an attack from leaders of the health service."
                },
                {
                    "text": "The first line of attack is often name-calling."
                }
            ],
            "collocations": {
                "adjective": ["bitter", "blistering", "devastating"],
                "verb + attack": ["deliver", "go on the", "launch"],
                "preposition": ["attack on", "attack upon"],
                "phrases": ["a/​the line of attack", "open to attack"]
            }
        },
        {
            "senseNumber": 6,
            "definition": "the players in a team whose job is to try to score goals or points",
            "labels": "(British English)North American English",
            "cefr": "b2",
            "ox3000": true,
            "examples": [
                {
                    "text": "Germany's attack has been weakened by the loss of some key players through injury."
                }
            ]
        },
        {
            "senseNumber": 7,
            "definition": "the actions that players take to try to score a goal or win the game",
            "sensetop": "attack (on something)",
            "cefr": "b2",
            "ox3000": true,
            "examples": [
                {
                    "text": "a sustained attack on the Arsenal goal"
                }
            ]
        },
        {
            "senseNumber": 8,
            "definition": "an action that you take to try to stop or change something that you feel is bad",
            "sensetop": "attack (on something)",
            "examples": [
                {
                    "text": "to **launch an** all-out **attack** on poverty/unemployment"
                }
            ]
        },
        {
            "senseNumber": 9,
            "definition": "the action of something such as an insect, or a disease, that causes damage to something/somebody",
            "examples": [
                {
                    "text": "The roof timbers were affected by rot and insect attack."
                }
            ]
        }
    ],
    "pronunciations": {
        "uk": [
            {
                "pronunciation": "/əˈtæk/",
                "audio": "at/attack/attack__gb_1.mp3"
            }
        ],
        "us": [
            {
                "pronunciation": "/əˈtæk/",
                "audio": "at/attack/attack__us_2.mp3"
            }
        ]
    },
    "wordOrigin": "early 17th cent.: from French attaque (noun), attaquer (verb), from Italian attacco ‘an attack’, attaccare ‘join battle’, based on an element of Germanic origin (see attach)."
}