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Assail vs. Besiege — What's the Difference?

Assail vs. Besiege — What's the Difference?

Difference Between Assail and Besiege

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Assail

Make a concerted or violent attack on
The Scots army assailed Edward's army from the rear

Besiege

To surround (a defended location such as a fort or a walled city) with hostile forces.

Assail

To attack violently, as with blows or military force; assault.

Besiege

To crowd around; hem in
Fans besieged the star as she came out of the hotel.

Assail

To attack verbally, as with ridicule or censure.
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Besiege

To harass or overwhelm, as with requests
A shop owner besieged by job applications.

Assail

To trouble or beset, as with questions or doubts.

Besiege

(transitive) To beset or surround with armed forces for the purpose of compelling to surrender, to lay siege to, beleaguer.

Assail

(transitive) To attack with harsh words or violent force (also figuratively).
Muggers assailed them as they entered an alley.
Our ears were assailed by her joyous efforts on her new saxophone.

Besiege

To beleaguer, to vex, to lay siege to, to beset.

Assail

To attack with violence, or in a vehement and hostile manner; to assault; to molest; as, to assail a man with blows; to assail a city with artillery.
No rude noise mine ears assailing.
No storm can now assailThe charm he wears within.

Besiege

To assail or ply, as with requests or demands.

Assail

To encounter or meet purposely with the view of mastering, as an obstacle, difficulty, or the like.
The thorny wilds the woodmen fierce assail.

Besiege

To beset or surround with armed forces, for the purpose of compelling to surrender; to lay siege to; to beleaguer; to beset.
Till Paris was besieged, famished, and lost.

Assail

To attack morally, or with a view to produce changes in the feelings, character, conduct, existing usages, institutions; to attack by words, hostile influence, etc.; as, to assail one with appeals, arguments, abuse, ridicule, and the like.
The papal authority . . . assailed.
They assailed him with keen invective; they assailed him with still keener irony.

Besiege

Surround so as to force to give up;
The Turks besieged Vienna

Assail

Attack someone physically or emotionally;
The mugger assaulted the woman
Nightmares assailed him regularly

Besiege

Cause to feel distressed or worried;
She was besieged by so many problems that she got discouraged

Assail

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

Besiege

Harass, as with questions or requests;
The press photographers besieged the movie star

Assail

Attack in speech or writing;
The editors of the left-leaning paper attacked the new House Speaker

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