onset

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on·set

(ŏn′sĕt′, ôn′-)

1. The beginning or start of something: the onset of a cold.

2. Linguistics The part of a syllable that precedes the nucleus. In the word nucleus (no͞o′klē-əs), the onset of the first syllable is (n), the onset of the second syllable is (kl), and the last syllable has no onset.

3. Archaic An attack by military forces; an assault.

American Heritage® Dictionary of the English Language, Fifth Edition. Copyright © 2016 by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. Published by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. All rights reserved.

onset

(ˈɒnˌsɛt)

1. an attack; assault

2. a start; beginning

Collins English Dictionary – Complete and Unabridged, 12th Edition 2014 © HarperCollins Publishers 1991, 1994, 1998, 2000, 2003, 2006, 2007, 2009, 2011, 2014

on•set

(ˈɒnˌsɛt, ˈɔn-)

n.

1. a beginning or start: the onset of winter.

2. an assault or attack: the onset of the enemy.

[1525–35]

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Noun	1.	onset - the beginning or early stages; "the onset of pneumonia" oncoming start - the beginning of anything; "it was off to a good start"
	2.	onset - (military) an offensive against an enemy (using weapons); "the attack began at dawn" attack, onrush, onslaught military operation, operation - activity by a military or naval force (as a maneuver or campaign); "it was a joint operation of the navy and air force" ground attack - an attack by ground troops assault - close fighting during the culmination of a military attack charge - an impetuous rush toward someone or something; "the wrestler's charge carried him past his adversary"; "the battle began with a cavalry charge" banzai attack, banzai charge - a mass attack of troops without concern for casualties; originated by Japanese who accompanied it with yells of `banzai' diversionary attack, diversion - an attack calculated to draw enemy defense away from the point of the principal attack penetration, incursion - an attack that penetrates into enemy territory blitzkrieg, blitz - a swift and violent military offensive with intensive aerial bombardment strike - an attack that is intended to seize or inflict damage on or destroy an objective; "the strike was scheduled to begin at dawn" counterattack, countermove - an attack by a defending force against an attacking enemy force in order to regain lost ground or cut off enemy advance units etc. bombing, bombardment - an attack by dropping bombs firing, fire - the act of firing weapons or artillery at an enemy; "hold your fire until you can see the whites of their eyes"; "they retreated in the face of withering enemy fire" strafe - an attack of machine-gun fire or cannon fire from a low flying airplane; "the next morning they carried out a strafe of enemy airfields" coup de main, surprise attack - an attack without warning armed forces, armed services, military, military machine, war machine - the military forces of a nation; "their military is the largest in the region"; "the military machine is the same one we faced in 1991 but now it is weaker"

onset

noun

1. beginning, start, rise, birth, kick-off (informal), outbreak, starting point, inception, commencement This drug slows down the onset of the disease.
beginning ending, end, finish, conclusion, outcome, wind-up, termination, culmination

Collins Thesaurus of the English Language – Complete and Unabridged 2nd Edition. 2002 © HarperCollins Publishers 1995, 2002

onset

noun

1. The act of attacking:

aggression, assailment, assault, attack, attempt, offense, offensive, onrush, onslaught, strike.

2. The initial stage of a developmental process:

beginning, birth, commencement, dawn, genesis, inception, nascence, nascency, opening, origin, outset, spring, start.

Translations

إبْتِداء

start

Anfang

comienzo inicio

commencement

upphaf, byrjun

assalto carica insorgenza

sākums

başlangıç ortaya çıkış

开始

onset

[ˈɒnset] N (= beginning) → principio m, comienzo m; [of disease] → aparición f
the onset of winter → el comienzo del invierno

Collins Spanish Dictionary - Complete and Unabridged 8th Edition 2005 © William Collins Sons & Co. Ltd. 1971, 1988 © HarperCollins Publishers 1992, 1993, 1996, 1997, 2000, 2003, 2005

onset

[ˈɒnsɛt] n [disease] → début m; [winter, old age] → approche f

Collins English/French Electronic Resource. © HarperCollins Publishers 2005

onset

n → Beginn m; (of cold weather also) → Einbruch m; (of illness) → Ausbruch m; the sudden onset of winter → der plötzliche Wintereinbruch; the onset of this illness is quite gradual → diese Krankheit kommt nur allmählich zum Ausbruch; with the onset of old age he … → als er alt zu werden begann …

Collins German Dictionary – Complete and Unabridged 7th Edition 2005. © William Collins Sons & Co. Ltd. 1980 © HarperCollins Publishers 1991, 1997, 1999, 2004, 2005, 2007

onset

[ˈɒnˌsɛt] n (of winter) → arrivo; (of illness, old age) → inizio, principio

onset

(ˈonset) noun

a beginning. the onset of a cold.

onset

n inicio, comienzo; age at — edad f de inicio or comienzo; early-onset de inicio or comienzo precoz; juvenile-onset de inicio or comienzo juvenil; late-onset de inicio or comienzo tardío

References in classic literature ?

There is surely no greater wisdom, than well to time the beginnings, and onsets, of things.

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With them he pushed off; and, after much weary pulling, and many perilous, unsuccessful onsets, he at last succeeded in getting one iron fast.

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The onset of troops is like the rush of a torrent which will even roll stones along in its course.

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Keba Christos, who had marched with incredible expedition to hinder the enemy from making any intrenchments, would willingly have refreshed his men a few days before the battle, but finding the foe vigilant, thought it not proper to stay till he was attacked, and therefore resolved to make the first onset; then presenting himself before his army without arms and with his head uncovered, assured them that such was his confidence in God's protection of those that engaged in so just a cause, that though he were in that condition and alone, he would attack his enemies.

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I believe, at the moment of my onset, the Stranger had sunk below our Plane, and really found difficulty in rising.

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Had the pirates kept together it is certain that they would have won; but the onset came when they were still unstrung, and they ran hither and thither, striking wildly, each thinking himself the last survivor of the crew.

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I wandered with that manner, for the next hour or two, all over the place and looked, I have no doubt, as if I were ready for any onset. So, for the benefit of whom it might concern, I paraded with a sick heart.