Onset
noun, verb ·Common ·High school level
Definitions
- 1 The initial phase of a disease or condition, in which symptoms first become apparent.
"the onset of schizophrenia"
- 2 (military) an offensive against an enemy (using weapons) wordnet
- 3 The initial portion of a syllable, preceding the syllable nucleus.
"The only regular sources for Sardinian *θ are Lat. ci̯ and ti̯, which are absent from Latin onsets. This means that the substantial number of words starting in *θ, discussed in § 3 – 7, cannot regularly continue a Latin form."
- 4 the beginning or early stages wordnet
- 5 The beginning of a musical note or other sound, in which the amplitude rises from zero to an initial peak.
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- 6 A setting about; a beginning.
"the onset of puberty"
- 7 Anything added, such as an ornament or as a useful appendage. obsolete
"And will with deeds requite thy gentleness: And, for an onset, Titus, to advance Thy name and honourable family, Lavinia will I make my empress."
- 8 An attack; an assault especially of an army. archaic
"Heralds, from off our towers, we might behold From first to last, the onset and retire Of both your armies"
- 1 To assault; to set upon. obsolete
- 2 To set about; to begin. obsolete
Example
More examples"Due to the early onset of winter this year, authorities are forecasting shortages of heating oil."
Etymology
From on- + set. Compare Old English onsettan (“to impose; oppress, bear down”). For semantic parallels for the meaning to assault, compare cognate Russian насе́сть pf (naséstʹ), наседа́ть impf (nasedátʹ).