Attack vs Threat - What's the difference?
attack | threat |
An attempt to cause damage or injury to, or to somehow detract from the worth or credibility of, a person, position, idea, object, or thing, by physical, verbal, emotional, or other assault.
* {{quote-book, year=1913, author=
, title=Lord Stranleigh Abroad
, chapter=4 * {{quote-magazine, date=2013-07-19, author=
, volume=189, issue=6, page=1, magazine=(The Guardian Weekly)
, title= A time in which one attacks. The offence of a battle.
(cricket) Collectively, the bowlers of a cricket side.
(volleyball) Any contact with the ball other than a serve or block which sends the ball across the plane of the net.
(lacrosse) The three attackmen on the field or all the attackmen of a team.
The sudden onset of a disease.
An active episode of a chronic or recurrent disease.
(music) The onset of a musical note, particularly with respect to the strength (and duration) of that onset.
(audio) The amount of time it takes for the volume of an audio signal to go from zero to maximum level (e.g. an audio waveform representing a snare drum hit would feature a very fast attack, whereas that of a wave washing to shore would feature a slow attack).
To apply violent force to someone or something.
To aggressively challenge a person, idea, etc., with words (particularly in newspaper headlines, because it typesets into less space than "criticize" or similar ).
* {{quote-news, year=2012
, date=June 3
, author=Nathan Rabin
, title=TV: Review: THE SIMPSONS (CLASSIC): “Mr. Plow” (season 4, episode 9; originally aired 11/19/1992)
To begin to affect; to act upon injuriously or destructively; to begin to decompose or waste.
* Macaulay
* B. Stewart
To deal with something in a direct way; to set to work upon.
(cricket) To aim balls at the batsman’s wicket.
(cricket) To set a field, or bowl in a manner designed to get wickets.
(cricket) To bat aggressively, so as to score runs quickly.
(soccer) To move forward in an attempt to actively score point, as opposed to trying not to concede.
* {{quote-news, year=2011
, date=October 15
, author=Michael Da Silva
, title=Wigan 1 - 3 Bolton
, work=BBC Sport
An expression of intent to injure or punish another.
* (William Shakespeare)
An indication of imminent danger.
* {{quote-magazine, year=2013, month=May-June, author=
, title= A person or object that is regarded as a danger; a menace.
* {{quote-news, year=2011, date=September 2, author=Phil McNulty, work=BBC
, title= (label) To press; urge; compel.
(archaic) To threaten.
* 1590 , Edmund Spenser, The Faerie Queene , I.vii:
* 1599 , , V. i. 37:
(label) To use threats; act or speak menacingly; threaten.
In transitive terms the difference between attack and threat
is that attack is to deal with something in a direct way; to set to work upon while threat is to press; urge; compel.attack
English
Noun
(en noun)citation, passage=“I came down like a wolf on the fold, didn’t I??? Why didn’t I telephone??? Strategy, my dear boy, strategy. This is a surprise attack , and I’d no wish that the garrison, forewarned, should escape. …”}}
Mark Tran
Denied an education by war, passage=One particularly damaging, but often ignored, effect of conflict on education is the proliferation of attacks' on schools
Synonyms
* (volleyball) hit, spike * See alsoAntonyms
* (music) decay, releaseDerived terms
* attack is the best form of defence * pincer attackVerb
(en verb)- This species of snake will only attack humans if it feels threatened.
- She published an article attacking the recent pay cuts.
citation, page= , passage=In its God-like prime, The Simpsons attacked well-worn satirical fodder from unexpected angles, finding fresh laughs in the hoariest of subjects.}}
- On the fourth of March he was attacked by fever.
- Hydrofluoric acid attacks the glass.
- We´ll have dinner before we attack the biology homework.
- I attacked the meal with a hearty appetite.
citation, page= , passage=Six successive defeats had left them rooted to the bottom of the Premier League table but, clearly under instructions to attack from the outset, Bolton started far the brighter.}}
Synonyms
* See alsoExternal links
* * * 1000 English basic words ----threat
English
Etymology 1
From (etyl) (m), (m), (m), .Noun
(en noun)- There is no terror, Cassius, in your threats .
Katrina G. Claw
Rapid Evolution in Eggs and Sperm, volume=101, issue=3, magazine=(American Scientist) , passage=Many genes with reproductive roles also have antibacterial and immune functions, which indicate that the threat of microbial attack on the sperm or egg may be a major influence on rapid evolution during reproduction.}}
Bulgaria 0-3 England, passage=Rooney's United team-mate Chris Smalling was given his debut at right-back and was able to adjust to the international stage in relatively relaxed fashion as Bulgaria barely posed a threat of any consequence.}}
Etymology 2
From (etyl) (m), from (etyl) .Verb
(en verb)- An hideous Geant horrible and hye, / That with his talnesse seemd to threat the skye
- O yes, and soundless too; / For you have stolen their buzzing, Antony, / And very wisely threat before you sting.