Adjacent Words

Accessory definitions

	Tweet

Webster's 1828 Dictionary

AC'CESSORY, a. [L. Accessorius, from accessus, accedo. See Accede. This word is accented on the first syllable on account of the derivatives, which require a secondary accent on the third; but the natural accent of accessory is on the second syllable, and thus it is often pronounced by good speakers.]
1. Acceding; contributing; aiding in producing some effect, or acting in subordination to the principal agent. Usually, in a bad sense, as John was accessory to the felony.
2. Aiding in certain acts or effects in a secondary manner, as accessory sounds in music.
AC'CESSORY, n.
1. In law, one who is guilty of a felony, not by committing the offense in person or as principal, but by advising or commanding another to commit the crime, or by concealing the offender. There may be accessories in all felonies, but not in treason. An accessory before the fact, is one who counsels or commands another to commit a felony, and is not present when the act is executed; after the fact, when one receives and conceals the offender.
2. That which accedes or belongs to something else, as its principal.
Accessory nerves, in anatomy, a pair of nerves, which arising from the medulla in the vertebers of the neck, ascend and enter the skull; then passing out with the par vagum, are distributed into the muscles of the neck and shoulders.
Accessory, among painters, an epithet given to parts of a history-piece which are merely ornamental, as vases, armor, etc.

WordNet (r) 3.0 (2005)

adj
1: aiding and abetting in a crime; "he was charged with being accessory to the crime" [syn: accessary, accessory]
2: furnishing added support; "an ancillary pump"; "an adjuvant discipline to forms of mysticism"; "The mind and emotions are auxiliary to each other" [syn: accessory, adjunct, ancillary, adjuvant, appurtenant, auxiliary] n
1: clothing that is worn or carried, but not part of your main clothing [syn: accessory, accoutrement, accouterment]
2: a supplementary component that improves capability [syn: accessory, appurtenance, supplement, add-on]
3: someone who helps another person commit a crime [syn: accessory, accessary]

Merriam Webster's

I. noun also accessary (plural -ries) Date: 15th century 1. a. a person not actually or constructively present but contributing as an assistant or instigator to the commission of an offense — called also accessory before the fact b. a person who knowing that a crime has been committed aids or shelters the offender with intent to defeat justice — called also accessory after the fact 2. a. a thing of secondary or subordinate importance ; adjunct b. an object or device not essential in itself but adding to the beauty, convenience, or effectiveness of something else <auto accessories> <clothing accessories> II. adjective Date: 1607 1. assisting as a subordinate; especially contributing to a crime but not as the chief agent 2. aiding or contributing in a secondary way ; supplementary 3. present in a minor amount and not essential as a constituent <an accessory mineral in a rock>

Oxford Reference Dictionary

n. & adj. (also accessary) --n. (pl. -ies) 1 an additional or extra thing. 2 (usu. in pl.) a a small attachment or fitting. b a small item of (esp. a woman's) dress (e.g. shoes, gloves, handbag). 3 (often foll. by to) a person who helps in or knows the details of an (esp. illegal) act, without taking part in it. --adj. additional; contributing or aiding in a minor way; dispensable. Phrases and idioms: accessory before (or after) the fact a person who incites (or assists) another to commit a crime. Derivatives: accessorial adj. Etymology: med.L accessorius (as ACCEDE)

Webster's 1913 Dictionary

Accessory Ac*ces"so*ry, n.; pl. Accessories. 1. That which belongs to something else deemed the principal; something additional and subordinate. ``The aspect and accessories of a den of banditti.'' --Carlyle. 2. (Law) Same as Accessary, n. 3. (Fine Arts) Anything that enters into a work of art without being indispensably necessary, as mere ornamental parts. --Elmes. Syn: Abettor; accomplice; ally; coadjutor. See Abettor.

Webster's 1913 Dictionary

Accessory Ac*ces"so*ry (#; 277), a. [L. accessorius. See Access, and cf. Accessary.] Accompanying as a subordinate; aiding in a secondary way; additional; connected as an incident or subordinate to a principal; contributing or contributory; said of persons and things, and, when of persons, usually in a bad sense; as, he was accessory to the riot; accessory sounds in music. Note: Ash accents the antepenult; and this is not only more regular, but preferable, on account of easiness of pronunciation. Most orho["e]pists place the accent on the first syllable. Syn: Accompanying; contributory; auxiliary; subsidiary; subservient; additional; acceding.

Collin's Cobuild Dictionary

(accessories) 1. Accessories are items of equipment that are not usually essential, but which can be used with or added to something else in order to make it more efficient, useful, or decorative. ...an exclusive range of hand-made bedroom and bathroom accessories. N-COUNT: usu pl 2. Accessories are articles such as belts and scarves which you wear or carry but which are not part of your main clothing. N-COUNT: usu pl 3. If someone is guilty of being an accessory to a crime, they helped the person who committed it, or knew it was being committed but did not tell the police. (LEGAL) She was charged with being an accessory to the embezzlement of funds. = accomplice N-COUNT: usu N to n

Soule's Dictionary of English Synonyms

I. a. Same as Accessary. II. n. 1. Confederate. See accessary. 2. Accompaniment, attendant, concomitant. See accessary, 2.

Moby Thesaurus

a party to, abettor, accessary, accession, accessories, accident, accidental, accompaniment, accompanying, accomplice, accomplice in crime, accretion, addenda, addendum, additament, addition, additional, additive, additory, additum, adjunct, adjuvant, adscititious, adventitious, aide, ancillary, annex, annexation, another, appanage, appanages, appendage, appendages, appendant, appendix, appointments, appurtenance, appurtenances, appurtenant, ascititious, assistant, assisting, associated, attachment, attendant, attending, augment, augmentation, auxiliary, belongings, casual, choses, choses in action, choses in possession, choses local, choses transitory, circumstantial, coconspirator, coda, cohort, coincident, collaborator, collateral, colleague, combined, complement, component, concomitant, concurrent, confederate, conjoint, conspirator, contingency, contingent, continuation, contributory, copartner, corollary, correlative, cotenant, coupled, defendant, doodad, engaged, extension, extra, extrapolation, farther, fellow, fellow conspirator, fixture, fortuitous, fostering, fresh, frill, further, happenstance, helper, helping, implicated, incidental, increase, increment, inessential, instrumental, involved, joined, joint, litigant, litigationist, litigator, material things, mere chance, ministerial, ministering, ministrant, more, movables, mutual, new, nonessential, not-self, nurtural, nutricial, offshoot, other, paired, panel, parallel, paraphernalia, partaker, partaking, participant, participating, participative, participator, participatory, parties litigant, partner, party, pendant, perquisites, personal effects, plaintiff, plus, reinforcement, secondary, serving, shareholder, sharer, sharing, side effect, side issue, simultaneous, socius criminis, spare, subordinate, subservient, subsidiary, suitor, superadded, superaddition, superfluous, supernumerary, supervenient, supplement, supplemental, supplementary, surplus, tailpiece, things, trappings, tributary, twin, ulterior, undergirding, unessential, witness