onslaught
UK[ˈɒnslɔːt]US[ˈɑːnslɔːt]
n
A fierce or destructive attack.
n
An overwhelming quantity of people or things that appears or is dealt with at once.
Etymology
The word 'onslaught' presents a fascinating case of folk etymology. It originated from the Dutch military term 'aanslag', meaning an attack or assault, literally a "striking at." When adopted into English, its unfamiliar form was reshaped by speakers to resemble the native elements "on" and "slaught," the latter being an obsolete word related to 'slay' meaning slaughter. This reinterpretation forged a powerful, intuitive compound for English speakers, evoking the vivid image of "slaughter being brought on." Thus, a borrowed term was phonetically and semantically assimilated, solidifying its meaning as a violent, overwhelming attack.
Analysis
The word is a simplex form. It is a 17th-century alteration of the earlier Dutch word 'aanslag', from 'aan' (on) + 'slag' (blow, stroke). It entered English influenced by the unrelated English words 'on' and 'slaught' (an archaic form related to 'slay').
Examples
The town was unprepared for the enemy onslaught.
The marketing department faced an onslaught of customer complaints.
We braced ourselves for the usual onslaught of questions from the press.