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attentato

attack

noun aht-tehn-TAH-toh Less Common
People & Society Crime

Origin: from Latin 'attentare', to attempt

Also means

assassination attempt

Usage Note

Attentato specifically means a planned attack or assassination attempt, often terrorist, as in attentato terroristico. It is a false friend: it does not mean 'attempt' generally, despite its Latin root.

Examples

"L'attentato ha colpito la città."

Natural Translation

The attack struck the city.

Literal Translation

The-attack has struck the city.

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