The Collaborative International Dictionary of English v.0.48:

Assault \As*sault"\, n. [OE. asaut, assaut, OF. assaut, asalt,
   F. assaut, LL. assaltus; L. ad + saltus a leaping, a
   springing, salire to leap. See Assail.]
   1. A violent onset or attack with physical means, as blows,
      weapons, etc.; an onslaught; the rush or charge of an
      attacking force; onset; as, to make assault upon a man, a
      house, or a town.
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            The Spanish general prepared to renew the assault.
                                                  --Prescott.
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            Unshaken bears the assault
            Of their most dreaded foe, the strong southwest.
                                                  --Wordsworth.
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   2. A violent onset or attack with moral weapons, as words,
      arguments, appeals, and the like; as, to make an assault
      on the prerogatives of a prince, or on the constitution of
      a government. --Clarendon.
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   3. (Law) An apparently violent attempt, or willful offer with
      force or violence, to do hurt to another; an attempt or
      offer to beat another, accompanied by a degree of
      violence, but without touching his person, as by lifting
      the fist, or a cane, in a threatening manner, or by
      striking at him, and missing him. If the blow aimed takes
      effect, it is a battery. --Blackstone. Wharton.
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            Practically, however, the word assault is used to
            include the battery.                  --Mozley & W.
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   Syn: Attack; invasion; incursion; descent; onset; onslaught;
        charge; storm.
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The Collaborative International Dictionary of English v.0.48:

Assault \As*sault"\, v. t. [imp. & p. p. Assaulted; p. pr. &
   vb. n. Assaulting.] [From Assault, n.: cf. OF. assaulter,
   LL. assaltare.]
   1. To make an assault upon, as by a sudden rush of armed men;
      to attack with unlawful or insulting physical violence or
      menaces.
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            Insnared, assaulted, overcome, led bound. --Milton.
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   2. To attack with moral means, or with a view of producing
      moral effects; to attack by words, arguments, or
      unfriendly measures; to assail; as, to assault a
      reputation or an administration.
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            Before the gates, the cries of babes newborn, . . .
            Assault his ears.                     --Dryden.
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   Note: In the latter sense, assail is more common.
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   Syn: To attack; assail; invade; encounter; storm; charge. See
        Attack.
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WordNet (r) 3.0 (2006):

assault
    n 1: close fighting during the culmination of a military attack
    2: a threatened or attempted physical attack by someone who
       appears to be able to cause bodily harm if not stopped
    3: thoroughbred that won the triple crown in 1946
    4: the crime of forcing a woman to submit to sexual intercourse
       against her will [syn: rape, violation, assault,
       ravishment]
    v 1: attack someone physically or emotionally; "The mugger
         assaulted the woman"; "Nightmares assailed him regularly"
         [syn: assail, assault, set on, attack]
    2: force (someone) to have sex against their will; "The woman
       was raped on her way home at night" [syn: rape, ravish,
       violate, assault, dishonor, dishonour, outrage]
    3: attack in speech or writing; "The editors of the left-leaning
       paper attacked the new House Speaker" [syn: attack,
       round, assail, lash out, snipe, assault]