strike at

phrasal verbPart ofstrike

strike at — phrasal verb

1. to aim a sudden, deliberate attack — physical or verbal — at something or someon

1.phrasal verb
Definition

to aim a sudden, deliberate attack — physical or verbal — at something or someone.

Example

The new tax laws strike at the very heart of small family businesses.

A snake reared up and struck at the photographer's boot before he could move.