Also assaultair, -tour. [f. ASSAULT v. + -ER1. Cf. OF. assauteur, AF. assaultour, also occas. followed in Eng. spelling.] One who assaults, an attacker or assailant.
1548. Hall, Chron. Hen. VIII., an. 16 (R.). The assaulters to deuise all maner of engynes for the assaulting.
1566. Knox, Hist. Ref., Wks. 1846, I. 212. And receaved the first assaultairis upon the pointis of thare spearis.
1583. Stanyhurst, Æneis, II. (Arb.), 58. The Troians … the assaultours with weak force vaynely repulsed.
1796. Miss Burney, Camilla, VIII. ix. Admiration is a dangerous assaulter of diffidence.
1837. Campbell, Song of Greeks, ii. 154. For we’ve sworn by our Country’s assaulters, By the virgins they’ve dragged from our altars.
