assail
to attack forcefully or criticize harshly
Roots
- ad- / a-: to, toward, added onto, or intensified
- sal / sult: leap, jump, spring, or spring back
Other words with the sal / sult root
- desultory: lacking a clear plan or order; jumping from thing to thing
- resilient: able to recover or spring back
- salient: most noticeable, important, or projecting
- somersault: a jump or roll in which the body turns over
Assail is to leap at someone physically or verbally.
The proposal was assailed from both sides during the debate.