assailed
/əˈseɪld/
adjective/verb (past participle)
Origin
Latin
assilire — to leap upon
Overview
Meaning Now
- Attacked violently, either physically or with words/criticism.
- Troubled or harassed by intense feelings or difficult circumstances.
Literal older meaning
to leap upon
Language path
Latin → Old French → Middle English → English
Earliest form
assailen
Earliest period
14th century
Journey
The word entered English via Anglo-Norman/Old French after the Norman Conquest. Its etymology links it directly to the physical act of 'leaping' onto an opponent, a metaphor that evolved to describe both verbal attacks and the experience of being overcome by abstract forces like doubt or fear.
Evolution
- Latin
assilire
“to leap towards, to attack”
- Old French
assalir
“to attack”
- Middle English
assailen
“to attack, to assault”
- Early Modern English
assailed
“having been attacked”
Connections
Word parts
as-
prefix
to, towards (from Latin ad-)
sail
root
to jump (from Latin salire)
-ed
suffix
past participle marker
Related across languages
French
assaillir
to attack
Spanish
asaltar
to assault
Explore next
Related to assailed
External references use DefinedTerm semantics.