One story says it got that meaning from the custom of throwing boiling water down on enemies attacking a castle.

VOA: special.2009.05.10

But they also found something else. They say another kind of bug is now attacking the cotton and other crops.

VOA: special.2010.05.25

Experts on language say the expression was born more than two hundred fifty years ago, when pirates sailed the seas, attacking and robbing trade ships.

VOA: special.2009.05.24

At first,the red men of Helium thought we were an attacking army.

VOA: special.2010.07.31

So the body starts attacking its own organs and tissues.

VOA: special.2010.06.15

So,the body starts attacking its own organs and tissues.

VOA: special.2009.04.14

"We are not," Roosevelt said, "attacking these big companies.

VOA: special.2010.08.12

They kill insects by attacking their nervous systems.

VOA: special.2010.05.26

They enjoy attacking each other with funny insults.

VOA: special.2010.01.06

They know that Twain was really attacking racism.

VOA: special.2010.03.21

Democrats campaigned by attacking Republican dishonesty.

VOA: special.2010.03.04

Ghana coach Rajevac describes Forlan as a fine player and his team will need to beware of Uruguay's attacking threat.

VOA: standard.2010.07.01

Mr.Brown said attacking al-Qaida had to go hand-in-hand with a strategy of building capacity so that Afghanistan can take care of itself.

VOA: standard.2009.10.14

He is sometimes called "Warbrecht," "War Horse," and "Wild Man" because of his attacking style and numerous crashes.

VOA: standard.2010.02.09

Israeli Foreign Ministry spokesman Yigal Palmor told VOA some could be put on trial for attacking the commandos.

VOA: standard.2010.06.01

Nourizadeh also says that the students have reportedly invited their parents to participate, in order to prevent security forces from attacking them.

VOA: standard.2009.12.07

And with no money for seeds, and insects attacking her crops, the next harvest is at risk.

VOA: standard.2010.03.30

Some 3,600 firefighters are attacking the flames in steep terrain, using bulldozers, tractors and hand tools.

VOA: standard.2009.09.01

Khamenei said the intelligence agencies of the world are attacking the Islamic republic, which stands in their way, preventing them from achieving their goals.

VOA: standard.2009.07.20

The eyewitnesses say after attacking a convoy carrying the terror suspect, the U.S.troops landed and took the corpse of the Kenyan-born man with them.

VOA: standard.2009.09.15

The military is already shifting to a newer, slightly less sophisticated aircraft, the F-35 Joint Strike Fighter, designed more for attacking targets on the ground.

VOA: standard.2009.07.21

Bereket told reporters, pro-government Somali militias have permission to use Ethiopia as a base of operations in attacking al-Shabab rebels, who control large sections of southern Somalia.

VOA: standard.2009.08.20

But there is also strong interest in attacking Taliban sanctuaries in Pakistan.

VOA: standard.2009.03.19

Pakistani media broadcast footage of thousands of people walking out of the Lower Dir region, fleeing helicopter gunship attacks and artillery strikes against Taliban militants accused of attacking security forces.

VOA: standard.2009.04.27