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Smack vs Attack - What's the difference?

smack | attack |

As nouns the difference between smack and attack

is that smack is a distinct flavor or smack can be a small sailing vessel, commonly rigged as a sloop, used chiefly in the coasting and fishing trade and often called a or smack can be a sharp blow; a slap see also: spank while attack is 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.

As verbs the difference between smack and attack

is that smack is to indicate or suggest something or smack can be to slap someone, or to make a smacking sound while attack is to apply violent force to someone or something.

As an adverb smack

is as if with a smack or slap.

smack

English

Etymology 1

From (etyl) smac, smak, smacke, from (etyl) . More at smake, smatch.

Noun

(en noun)
  • A distinct flavor.
  • A slight trace of something; a smattering.
  • * 1883 ,
  • He was not sailorly, and yet he had a smack of the sea about him too.
  • (slang) Heroin.
  • Derived terms
    * (l)

    Verb

    (en verb)
  • To indicate or suggest something.
  • Her reckless behavior smacks of pride.
  • * Shakespeare
  • All sects, all ages, smack of this vice.
  • To have a particular taste.
  • Derived terms
    * smack of

    Etymology 2

    From (etyl) smack (Low German .

    Noun

    (en noun)
  • A small sailing vessel, commonly rigged as a sloop, used chiefly in the coasting and fishing trade and often called a .
  • Etymology 3

    From or akin to (etyl) ).

    Noun

    (en noun)
  • A sharp blow; a slap. See also: spank.
  • A loud kiss.
  • * Shakespeare
  • a clamorous smack
  • A quick, sharp noise, as of the lips when suddenly separated, or of a whip.
  • Verb

    (en verb)
  • To slap someone, or to make a smacking sound.
  • * (Benjamin Disraeli)
  • A horse neighed, and a whip smacked , there was a whistle, and the sound of a cart wheel.
  • (New Zealand) To strike a child (usually on the buttocks) as a form of discipline. (US spank)
  • To wetly separate the lips, making a noise, after tasting something or in expectation of a treat.
  • * 1763 , Robert Lloyd, “A Familiar Epistle” in St. James Magazine :
  • But when, obedient to the mode / Of panegyric, courtly ode / The bard bestrides, his annual hack, / In vain I taste, and sip and smack , / I find no flavour of the Sack.
  • To kiss with a close compression of the lips, so as to make a sound when they separate.
  • Adverb

    (en adverb)
  • As if with a smack or slap
  • Right smack bang in the middle.
    Derived terms
    * smack-dab

    Anagrams

    * ----

    attack

    English

    Noun

    (en noun)
  • 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 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. …”}}
  • * {{quote-magazine, date=2013-07-19, author= Mark Tran
  • , volume=189, issue=6, page=1, magazine=(The Guardian Weekly) , title= Denied an education by war , passage=One particularly damaging, but often ignored, effect of conflict on education is the proliferation of attacks' on schools
  • 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).
  • Synonyms

    * (volleyball) hit, spike * See also

    Antonyms

    * (music) decay, release

    Derived terms

    * attack is the best form of defence * pincer attack

    Verb

    (en verb)
  • To apply violent force to someone or something.
  • This species of snake will only attack humans if it feels threatened.
  • To aggressively challenge a person, idea, etc., with words (particularly in newspaper headlines, because it typesets into less space than "criticize" or similar ).
  • She published an article attacking the recent pay cuts.
  • * {{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) 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.}}
  • To begin to affect; to act upon injuriously or destructively; to begin to decompose or waste.
  • * Macaulay
  • On the fourth of March he was attacked by fever.
  • * B. Stewart
  • Hydrofluoric acid attacks the glass.
  • To deal with something in a direct way; to set to work upon.
  • We´ll have dinner before we attack the biology homework.
    I attacked the meal with a hearty appetite.
  • (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 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 also