Which of the following best defines 'assault'?

The concept of 'assault' is best defined as including both the threatening of harm and the actual causing of injury. The legal definition usually encompasses any intentional act that creates a reasonable apprehension of imminent harmful or offensive contact. This means that even if someone does not follow through with physical violence, the mere act of threatening someone can qualify as assault if it places the victim in fear of imminent harm.

In many jurisdictions, the distinction is made that, for an act to qualify as assault, there needs to be an intention to create that apprehension of harm, which distinguishes it from battery—where physical injury is inflicted. Thus, the correct answer encompasses both components of the act (threatening and causing harm) that are crucial for a comprehensive understanding of assault in legal terminology. The other answer choices do not fully address both of these essential elements, which is why they do not define assault as completely or accurately as the selected response.