accost
accost
Pronunciation
The IPA phonetic spelling for "accost" depends on the dialect:
General American (cot-caught merger): /ə.ˈkɔst/ (uh-kawst)
Syllable 1: ə (schwa sound, like the "uh" in "but")
Syllable 2: kɔst (combined sound: "k" followed by "aw" as in "caught")
Received Pronunciation (British English): /ə.ˈkɑst/ (uh-kahst)
Syllable 1: ə (schwa sound, like the "uh" in "but")
Syllable 2: kɑst (combined sound: "k" followed by "ah" as in "father")
Word Form Variations
"Accost" is a verb, and for verbs, there isn't a true singular or plural form. It refers to the action itself, not the number of times it's done. However, "accost" does have some conjugated forms to indicate tense (past, present, future) and person (who is performing the action). Here are the variations:
Base form: accost (used for present tense, infinitive)
Past tense: accosted (indicates the action happened in the past)
Present participle: accosting (describes an ongoing action)
Past participle: accosted (used in verb tenses like perfect tenses and the passive voice)
Third-person singular present tense: accosts (used when "he," "she," or "it" performs the action in the present)
There are no separate plural forms for "accost" itself. You would just use the pronoun indicating plurality (they, we, you) along with the appropriate tense of the verb.
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Definitions, Synonyms, Antonyms
Accost (Verb)
Definition:
To approach and speak to someone in a bold, aggressive, or unwelcome way.
Synonyms: confront, buttonhole, harass, pester, badger, heckle (depending on context)
Antonyms: greet, welcome, approach politely, address respectfully
Example: The woman was accosted by a group of teenagers demanding money.
Note: "Accost" can also have a more historical meaning of approaching someone for the first time, but this usage is less common today.
Examples of Use
Literature:
Charles Dickens, Oliver Twist (1838): "He was accosted by a ferocious bulldog, who flew at him with great violence and pinned him to the ground." (This example shows the historical meaning of simply approaching someone for the first time, though with a negative connotation.)
Harper Lee, To Kill a Mockingbird (1960): "A drunken Negro accosted Mrs. Dubose on the sidewalk..." (This example highlights the aggressive and unwelcome nature of accosting someone.)
Newspapers/Online Publications:
The New York Times (2023): "Tourist Accosted in Rome for Trying to Take Photo in Colosseum." (This headline uses "accost" in the context of someone being harassed for an action.)
BBC News (2022): "Man accosts police officer in London rampage." (This example emphasises the aggressive behaviour involved in accosting someone.)
Entertainment Mediums:
Movie (Star Wars: Episode IV - A New Hope, 1977): Obi-Wan Kenobi, disguised as Ben Kenobi, is accosted by a group of Stormtroopers searching for droids. (This scene depicts the aggressive confrontation aspect of accosting someone.)
Video Game (The Witcher 3: Wild Hunt, 2015): Geralt of Rivia can be accosted by random bandits while travelling through the game world. (This example shows the unwanted nature of being accosted.)
General Public Discourse:
Social Media: "I was accosted by a stranger on the bus who wouldn't stop talking to me." (Social media platforms are a common place for people to share experiences of being accosted.)
Community Meeting: "Residents expressed concern about being accosted by aggressive panhandlers in the downtown area." (Public discussions about safety can involve the use of "accost" to describe unwanted approaches.)
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10 Famous Quotes Using the term Accost
Unfortunately, "accost" isn't a word commonly used in famous quotes. The word carries a specific meaning of approaching someone aggressively, and most famous quotes aim for a more inspiring, insightful, or poetic tone.
However, here are ten quotes that capture a similar feeling of unwelcome or aggressive approaches:
"The only thing necessary for the triumph of evil is for good men to do nothing." - Edmund Burke (This quote highlights the inaction of good people in the face of negativity.)
"Silence in the face of evil is itself evil: God will not hold us guiltless. Not to speak is to speak. Not to act is to act." - Dietrich Bonhoeffer (Similar to the first quote, this emphasises the importance of speaking up against negativity.)
"The price of freedom is eternal vigilance." - Thomas Jefferson (This quote warns of the constant need to be aware of threats to liberty.)
"A man who doesn't spend time with his family can never be considered a real man." - Don Corleone (The Godfather) (This quote, though fictional, reflects the unwelcome intrusion on someone's priorities.)
"The mediocre teacher tells. The good teacher explains. The superior teacher demonstrates. The great teacher inspires." - William Arthur Ward (This quote uses a different approach to highlight the unwelcome nature of poor teaching methods.)
"Doubt is not a pleasant condition, but certainty is absurd." - Voltaire (This quote emphasises the intrusion of doubt on absolute certainty.)
"The only true wisdom is in knowing you know nothing." - Socrates (Similar to the previous quote, this one highlights the unwelcome intrusion of false knowledge.)
"The unexamined life is not worth living." - Socrates (This quote warns of the danger of a life without reflection, which can be seen as an unwelcome intrusion on complacency.)
"The mind is everything. What you think you become." - Buddha (Similar to the previous quote, this one emphasises the importance of challenging negative thoughts.)
"The only person you are destined to become is the person you decide to be." - Ralph Waldo Emerson (This quote highlights the importance of personal agency in the face of potential limitations or outside forces.)
Etymology
The word "accost" doesn't have a single clear origin story. It's more like a word that evolved over time.
Here's the breakdown:
French connection: The word seems to have come from Old French, where it was used in a similar way but with more meanings. It could mean "to approach someone," "to accuse someone," or even "to greet someone for the first time."
English twist: Sometime in the mid-1500s, English borrowed this word from French, but it focused on just one meaning: approaching someone in a bold or unwelcome way.
First appearance: The earliest known use of "accost" in English shows up around 1550.
So, while the exact origin isn't 100% clear, it seems "accost" started out as a more general term for approaching someone in French and then narrowed down to a specific meaning in English.
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Phrases + Idioms Containing the term Accost
Interestingly, there aren't many common phrases or idioms that directly use "accost." This is likely because "accost" itself already paints a clear picture of an aggressive or unwelcome approach.
However, here are some related expressions that capture a similar feeling:
Accosted by a stranger: This is a straightforward way to describe being approached by someone you don't know in an unwelcome way.
Buttonholed by someone: This idiom refers to being stopped and spoken to persistently, often in a way that feels intrusive.
The hard sell: This describes a very aggressive sales pitch that can feel like harassment.
Rude awakening: This idiom refers to a sudden and unpleasant realisation or experience, which can be similar to being accosted in its unexpected negativity.
Get in someone's face: This means to approach someone aggressively and confrontationaly.
These phrases and idioms can be used to express situations where someone is approached in a way that feels overly forceful or unwelcome.
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Source Information
Definition of accost from The Academic Glossary at Self Exploration Academy, a Urikville Press Publication. © All rights reserved.
