onslaught
pronunciation
How to pronounce onslaught in British English:
UK [ˈɒnslɔːt]
How to pronounce onslaught in American English:
US [ˈɑːnslɔːt]
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- Noun:
- a sudden and severe onset of trouble
- (military) an offensive against an enemy (using weapons)
- the rapid and continuous delivery of linguistic communication (spoken or written)
Word Origin
- onslaught (n.)
- 1620s, anslaight, somehow from or on analogy of Dutch aanslag "attack," from Middle Dutch aenslach, from aen "on" (see on) + slach "blow," related to slaen "slay." Spelling influenced by obsolete (since c. 1400) English slaught (n.) "slaughter," from Old English sleaht (see slaughter (n.)). No record of its use in 18c.; apparently revived by Scott.
Example
- 1. At home the robocalls continue the onslaught .
- 2. Overwhelmed by the onslaught spaniards abandoned their homes to the insects depopulating santo domingo .
- 3. The fear of the never-ending onslaught of gizmos and gadgets is nothing new .
- 4. But " onslaught " backfired somewhat : the company , after all , is part of the industry it mocked .
- 5. And after leading the onslaught against the farc as mr uribe 's defence minister , mr santos has made clear that he hopes to be remembered as the peace president .