onslaught

Onslaught, n.

Etymology: [OE. on on + slaught, slaht, slaughter. See Slaughter.]

1. An attack; an onset; esp., a furious or murderous attack or assault. By storm and onslaught to proceed. Hudibras.

2. A bloody fray or battle. [Scot.] Jamieson.

Shades of meaning

Fernald has no entry of its own for onslaught; he lists it under attack.

Where he writes about it:

Onslaught signifies intensely violent assault, as by an army or a desperado, tho it is sometimes used of violent speech. — from attack