access

[ ak-ses ]

/ ˈæk sɛs /

noun

the ability, right, or permission to approach, enter, speak with, or use; admittance: They have access to the files.

the state or quality of being approachable: The house was difficult of access.

a way or means of approach: The only access to the house was a rough dirt road.

Theology. approach to God through Jesus Christ.

an attack or onset, as of a disease.

a sudden and strong emotional outburst.

accession.

public-access television.

verb (used with object)

to make contact with or gain access to; be able to reach, approach, enter, etc.: Bank customers can access their checking accounts instantly through the new electronic system.

Computers. to locate (data) for transfer from one part of a computer system to another, generally between an external storage device and main storage.

adjective

Television. (of programming, time, etc.) available to the public: Six channels now offer access services.

Nearby words

accepter, accepting, accepting house, acceptive, acceptor, access, access broker, access charge, access code, access course, access land

Origin of access

1275–1325; Middle English accesse (< Old French acces) < Latin accessus an approach, equivalent to acced-, variant stem of accēdere to accede + -tus suffix of v. action

Related forms

pre·ac·cess, noun

Can be confused

access assess excess

Dictionary.com Unabridged Based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2019

Examples from the Web for accesses

But when we are in a fever, have the sun and moon any influence upon the accesses of it, in its days of crisis?
A Philosophical Dictionary, Volume 6 (of 10)|Franois-Marie Arouet (AKA Voltaire)
It is fair, however, to say that these accesses of morality or moralising are not very frequent.
A History of the French Novel, Vol. 2|George Saintsbury
Increasing age gave to these accesses of malady a character of danger, which she already began to remark with deep anxiety.
The Daltons, Volume I (of II)|Charles James Lever
Accesses of anger an still noted, during which he is very vulgar.
Pedagogical Anthropology|Maria Montessori

Lambert had taken care of that by posting regiments in an outer ring round Morley's and Mosse's, so as to block all accesses.
The Life of John Milton, Volume 5 (of 7), 1654-1660|David Masson

British Dictionary definitions for accesses

access

/ (ˈæksɛs) /

noun

the act of approaching or entering

the condition of allowing entry, esp (of a building or room) allowing entry by wheelchairs, prams, etc

the right or privilege to approach, reach, enter, or make use of something

a way or means of approach or entry

the opportunity or right to see or approach someoneshe fights for divorce and free access to her children

(modifier) designating programmes made by the general public as distinguished from those made by professional broadcastersaccess television

a sudden outburst or attack, as of rage or disease

verb

to gain access to; make accessible or available

(tr) computing

to obtain or retrieve (information) from a storage device
to place (information) in a storage deviceSee also direct access, sequential access

Word Origin for access

C14: from Old French or from Latin accessus an approach, from accēdere to accede

Collins English Dictionary - Complete & Unabridged 2012 Digital Edition © William Collins Sons & Co. Ltd. 1979, 1986 © HarperCollins Publishers 1998, 2000, 2003, 2005, 2006, 2007, 2009, 2012

Medicine definitions for accesses

access

[ ăk′sĕs ]

n.

A means of approaching, entering, exiting, or making use of; passage.

The space required to view a tooth and manipulate dental instruments to remove decay and prepare the tooth for restoration.

The opening in the crown of a tooth necessary to allow adequate admittance to the pulp space to clean, shape, and seal the root canal.