2. A dull, heavy, stupid fellow; a dolt. Shak. [ 1913 Webster ]

Asses' Bridge. [ L. pons asinorum. ] The fifth proposition of the first book of Euclid, “The angles at the base of an isosceles triangle are equal to one another.” [ Sportive ] “A schoolboy, stammering out his Asses' Bridge.” F. Harrison. --
To make an ass of one's self, to do or say something very foolish or absurd. [ 1913 Webster ]

No rude noise mine ears assailing. Cowper. [ 1913 Webster ]

No storm can now assail
The charm he wears within. Keble. [ 1913 Webster ]

2. To encounter or meet purposely with the view of mastering, as an obstacle, difficulty, or the like. [ 1913 Webster ]

The thorny wilds the woodmen fierce assail. Pope. [ 1913 Webster ]

3. To attack morally, or with a view to produce changes in the feelings, character, conduct, existing usages, institutions; to attack by words, hostile influence, etc.; as, to assail one with appeals, arguments, abuse, ridicule, and the like. [ 1913 Webster ]

The papal authority . . . assailed. Hallam. [ 1913 Webster ]

They assailed him with keen invective; they assailed him with still keener irony. Macaulay. [ 1913 Webster ]

Syn. -- To attack; assault; invade; encounter; fall upon. See Attack. [ 1913 Webster ]

An assailant of the church. Macaulay. [ 1913 Webster ]

His most frequent assailment was the headache. Johnson. [ 1913 Webster ]