上述單詞均有侵犯和攻擊的含義。aggression多指無故的違反《聯(lián)合國憲章》規(guī)定的戰(zhàn)爭行為，如侵略別國的行為[1]。attack 多指企圖傷害或消滅他人[2]，常在他人無防備或準(zhǔn)備情況下進(jìn)行攻擊。assault為猛烈攻擊，尤指近距離的身體接觸和暴力[3]，常針對(duì)某個(gè)人或少數(shù)人，且常帶有因嫉妒、怨恨等個(gè)人情感，其突然性和出奇不意性往往比attack更強(qiáng)，因此attack能用surprise修飾，而用surprise去修飾assault則為累贅。offensive 有時(shí)可與attack互換使用，有時(shí)則指一種大規(guī)模的軍事進(jìn)攻行動(dòng)[4]。
    
[1 ] "The use of armed force by a state against the sovereignty，territory integrity，or political independence of another state, or in any other manner inconsistent with the Charter of the United Nations. ” Cf. James E. Clapp, Random House Webster's Dictionary of Law, at p. 20, Random House (2000).
[2]“To try to hurt or harm someone. ” Cf. P. H. Collin, Dictionary of Law，at p. 37, Peter Collin Publishing (1993 ).
[3 ] "Assault typically suggests close physical contact and extreme violence，especially against one or a few people. " Cf. The Editors of the Reader's Digest, Use the Right Word, at p. 20，The Reader's Digest Association Proprietary Ltd, (1971).
[4 ] "In some contexts it is interchangeable with attack, but in others it applies to a
large-scale co-ordinated military campaign of men and materiel. ” Id. at p. 11.